Mar 12, 2018 02:31:23 PM

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2018 Reading Together: Meet Author Matthew DesmondOn Friday, March 16, 7-9 pm, the 2018 Reading Together featured author Matthew Desmond will visit Chenery Auditorium. Desmond will discuss his research and motivation for his book Evicted: Poverty and Profit in the American City, which won the 2016 Pulitzer Prize, National Book Critics Award, Carnegie Medal, and PEN/John Kenneth Galbraith Award for Nonfiction. This Meet the Author event is free and open to the public. No ticket is required. Copies of Evicted will be available for purchase from Michigan News Agency. A book signing will immediately follow the presentation.

In his brilliant, heartbreaking book, Evicted: Poverty and Profit in the American City, Matthew Desmond takes us into the poorest neighborhoods of Milwaukee to tell the stories of eight families on the edge. Based on years of embedded fieldwork and painstakingly gathered data, this masterful book transforms our understanding of extreme poverty and economic exploitation while providing fresh ideas for solving a devastating, uniquely American problem. Its unforgettable scenes of hope and loss remind us of the centrality of home, without which nothing else is possible.

About Reading Together: One Book, One CommunityThe purpose of Reading Together is to build a stronger community with deeper connections through the common experience of reading the same book and exploring its themes together. When we do that, we engage and learn, not only about ourselves, but more importantly about each other and the world around us. Learn more about Reading Together and this year's list of events at readingtogther.us.

15th Annual Teen Filmmaker FestivalOn Saturday, March 17, Kalamazoo will roll out the (metaphorical) red carpet for the 15th Annual Teen Filmmaker Festival. Film finalists will be screened at this special event open to movie fans of all ages. Join us at 12 pm at the Judy K. Jolliffe Theatre. Enjoy plenty of movie snacks and cast your vote for the People's Choice Award. This event is free and open to the public.

Public Media Network (PMN) will broadcast all entries chosen for the festival, the awards presentations, and interviews with the winners beginning March 26 through April 1. Visit kpl.gov/teenfilmfest for the broadcast schedule. DVD's of the festival coverage and filmmaker interviews will be available for purchase at cost to interested filmmakers and fans. For more information visit publicmedia.org.

Film Finalists will be presented by Master of Ceremonies Aubrey Rodgers, and judged by Katherine Mumma, James Choi, and Joshua Courtade. The People's Choice Award will be chosen by the audience. Awards are based on nine categories and will receive gift cards from Norman Camera in the following amounts:

Best Film: $750

Judge's Choice: $500

People's Choice: $100

The following categories will win a Norman Camera gift card worth $50:

Best Experimental Film

Best Music Video

Best Short Film (less than 3 minutes)

Best Technical Merit

Best Cinematic Merit

Young Filmmaker Award

If you miss the festival, the complete list of winners will be posted on kpl.gov/teenfilmfest by March 23.

About the Teen Filmmaker FestivalSince 2003, the Teen Filmmaker Festival has featured films produced by Michigan teens aged 12-19. Films must be entirely produced by teens and be no more than 10 minutes long. In 2016, a Young Filmmaker Award was created for Michigan's youngest filmmakers, aged 10-12.

Kalamazoo Public Library Adds Courtesy Renewal as a Service to Patrons

Feb 27, 2018 11:21:33 AM

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Kalamazoo Public Library staff are always thinking of ways to improve our patrons’ library experience and make the process of checking out materials as convenient as possible. Remembering to renew books, music or movies to avoid late fees can be a hassle, which is why we are pleased to provide a new service called Courtesy Renewal.

With Courtesy Renewal, when first time, checked-out materials reach two days before their due date, they will be automatically renewed. This means no more last-minute logging in to a KPL library account or frantic trips to a local KPL branch to renew materials on time. Please note Courtesy Renewal applies only to the first time checked-out materials are eligible for renewal.

Patrons will receive an email confirming which items were automatically renewed. A separate email will be sent for items that are still due and cannot be renewed such as Hot Picks, Book Club in a Bag, Hotspots and items with holds.

Alma Powell Branch Library Will Now Be Open on Saturdays, 1-5 pm

Jan 23, 2018 01:21:55 PM

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Beginning Saturday, February 3, Kalamazoo Public Library's Alma Powell Branch will be open on Saturdays, 1 - 5 pm. A grand opening celebration will be held on Saturday, February 10, at 2 pm. The event will feature a screening of the movie, The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks and soul food will be served.

The decision to open Powell Branch on Saturdays was the result of strong community feedback expressing the need for additional library hours, a steady increase in daily library usage, and support from the Douglass Community Association.

"Kalamazoo Public Library is pleased to be able to respond to the community's request for additional, more accessible hours. It is important to us to not only meet the needs of residents who live near the Powell Branch Library, but this decision also fulfills our purpose to be a place for everyone to explore, discover, and engage," said Library Director Ryan Wieber.

The Alma Powell Branch Library is located at 1000 W. Paterson and serves the residents of the Northside neighborhoods of Kalamazoo. The library offers books, movies, music and programming for all ages, and also features the Barnabee Art Gallery, which displays several exhibits each year. Beginning February 2, in celebration of Black History Month, art, history and science lovers can enjoy The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks art exhibit, a collaboration of several local and out-of-state artists celebrating Henrietta Lacks. Known as the mother of modern day medicine, Lacks is the unwitting source of the HeLa cell line, the first immortalized cell line and one of the most important cell lines in modern history.

Overdue Brew is an annual program featuring a flight of hop-tastic events that celebrate our local breweries and our craft-brew-loving community. Since 2014, KPL has presented Kalamazoo with fun and educational programming about craft brewing including: beer tasting instruction, brewery tours, home brewing tutorials, beer-centric movies, and visits from the authors of some of the industry's most referenced and respected books on craft brewing.

All Overdue Brew events are free and open to the public.Seating is limited and registration is required.You must be 21 or older to attend.

On Tap for 2018

History of Brewing in Kalamazoo Bus Tour-sorry, both tours and the waiting list are already full!Saturday, January 20, Two tours: 11 am & 2 pmBell's Eccentric Cafe, 355 E. Kalamazoo AveJoin us on a bus tour with West Michigan Beer Tours and learn about our city's illustrious beer brewing history! Tours begin and end at Bell's Eccentric Cafe. Enjoy a complimentary pint before or after the tour and visit some of the sites where Kalamazoo's brewing history began nearly two hundred years ago.

Beer Tasting - (registration opens January 18)Thursday, February 1, 7 pmTibbs Brewing Co., 402 S. Burdick St.Do you even "craft beer?" Learn the lingo with certified beer judge and accomplished homebrewer Alex Mantakounis. Join Alex as he guides tasters through a series of different styles of beer, and explains the different flavors, textures, and notes they should expect. Includes a flight of beer samples. Attendees will also receive a complimentary Overdue Brew pint glass.

The Polkaholics - (registration opens January 27)Saturday, February 10, 8 pmOld Dog Tavern, 402 E. Kalamazoo Ave.Let's DANCE! The Polkaholics mix doses of punk rock and polka in a high-speed blender, creating a souped-up sound that is simultaneously new and old. Traditional polka and polka type songs are played with non-traditional instruments (drum, bass, and guitar). A new generation of music, this electrified polka is fast, furious and fun!

Pure Brews America - Featuring Shannon Long - (registration opens February 1)Thursday, February 15, 7 pm, One Well Brewing, 4213 Portage St.Meet Shannon Long, CEO of Brew Export and host of the 2017 Emmy Award Winning TV series, Pure Brews America. Not just a show about beer, Pure Brews America is about the history, innovation, and characters that have taken a small brewing revolution and turned it into a nationwide force. Hear Shannon's story of how she turned her love of craft beer into a career that has not only taken her across Michigan, but now across the country where she interviews some of the best in the craft brew business!

Kalamazoo Public Library Barrel-Aged Bus Tour - (registration opens February 10)Saturday, February 24, 12 pmOld Burdick's Bar & Grill in Radisson Plaza Hotel, 100 W. Michigan Ave.Take a tour of some of the most popular craft brew pubs in Kalamazoo! Includes a pint or samples, and brewery tours at select stops.

Overdue BrewsWhat would Overdue Brew be without the brews? We are excited to share that once again; you will be able to enjoy the following limited-batch beers brewed especially for Overdue Brew. Even better? Show your Kalamazoo Public Library Card and get $1 off your first pint!

Need Another Round?Participants of the 2018 Overdue Brew will receive fun giveaways and have the opportunity to win a prize at every event! Also, all participants will receive an Overdue Brew Passport. Attend four or more programs and you will receive a custom Overdue Brew TagaBrew tag!

Nov 14, 2017 11:26:59 AM

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Calling all filmmakers age 10 - 19! Write those scripts and get your cameras rolling, it's time to get ready for the 15th Annual Teen Filmmaker Festival! Submissions are due Friday, January 26, 2018 by 5 pm.

A jury will screen every film entered and select the finalists for screening at the Festival. Filmmakers will be notified via email if their film is selected. Not every film submitted to the Festival will be selected for screening at the public event. Titles of selected films will be posted on the Teen Filmmaker Festival Facebook page.

Award Categories

Grand Prize for Best Film

Best Animation

Best Experimental Film

Best Music Video

Best Short Film

Best Technical Merit

Best Cinematic Merit

Judge's Choice

People's Choice

Young Filmmaker Award – Ages 10-13

Young Filmmaker Category for ages 10-13. Films eligible for this category will be judged prior to the festival and the winning film will be shown during the Teen Filmmaker Festival on March 17. The winner will be notified and will receive their prize during the event.

Films must be produced by teens, ages 10-19, who reside in the state of Michigan. More than one teen may work on a film. Adults may be talent in a film, but should perform no other duty in the actual creation of the film. Films may not be more than 10 minutes long. No bloopers, please. Teens may submit more than one film. Films submitted to the festival will not be returned.

A panel of judges will select the winners in each category except the People's Choice Award, which will be chosen at the Teen Filmmaker Festival by audience members.

Submit your films electronically via FilmFreeway. Entries are due on Friday, January 26, 2018 by 5 pm. In the event that filmmakers are unable to submit films online, they may be delivered via mail or in person to the KPL Central Library Teen Desk.

If you need help, please contact the Teen Department at 269-553-7807 or The Hub, KPL’s digital lab.

Meet the New ONEplace Director - Matthew Lechel

Nov 13, 2017 10:08:45 AM

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Kalamazoo Public Library is pleased to announce the new Director of ONEplace - Matthew Lechel.

Matt Lechel has 15+ years of nonprofit experience including organizations such as the YMCA, Girl Scouts, and Volunteer Kalamazoo. He received his Masters of Public Administration-Nonprofit Leadership degree from Western Michigan University in 2008, and also taught as adjunct faculty at WMU for a number of years. Prior to joining ONEplace in 2016, Lechel served for six years as the Executive Director of Kalamazoo Collective Housing, a nonprofit affordable housing cooperative in Kalamazoo. Matt Lechel has also served on the boards of PFC Natural Grocery and Deli, and Kalamazoo County Parks Commission, where he currently serves as Secretary.

"Matt's experience in the Kalamazoo nonprofit environment, his demonstrated abilities over the past year, and his passion for all that ONEplace embodies will, I'm sure, prove to be the right combination in leading ONEplace," said Kalamazoo Public Library Director Ryan Wieber. "I am excited for Matt and am confident he will do a great job."

Matt Lechel will model the legacy of excellent leadership provided by previous ONEplace Directors Thom Andrews and Bobbe Luce. Under Matt's direction, ONEplace will continue to provide a variety of custom capacity building services to the nonprofits in Kalamazoo county. "I am humbled and honored to take on this position, particularly after the passing of my friend and mentor Thom Andrews, who left a tremendous legacy here at ONEplace," said Lechel. "Nonprofits are critical to the success of our community, and impact nearly all of us whether we're program participants, funders, staff, volunteers or board members. The fact that ONEplace even exists is a testament to the commitment of nonprofit excellency from Kalamazoo area funders like the Irving S. Gilmore Foundation and Kalamazoo Community Foundations. I am excited to grow the great work of ONEplace."

Has this ever happened to you? Your favorite author, one that you have been dying to meet, visited your city and you missed it! Don’t let that happen, mark your calendar, set the alerts and get excited to see the following authors in Kalamazoo on November 16 & 17!

Mitali Perkins has written ten novels for young readers, including Rickshaw Girl (chosen by the New York Public Library as one of the top 100 books for children in the past 100 years) and Bamboo People (an American Library Association's Top Ten Novels for Young Adults). Her newest novel, Tiger Boy, won the Charlotte Huck Honor Award and the South Asia Book Award. She has been honored as a “Most Engaging Author” by independent booksellers across the country and selected as a “Literary Light for Children” by the Associates of the Boston Public Library. Perkins is also a 2017 National Book Award Top 10 Finalist.

Gary D. Schmidt is the author of more than fifteen books for children and young adults, including The Wednesday Wars, a 2008 Newbery Honor Award winner, and Lizzie Bright and the Buckminster Boy, which won a Newbery Honor award and a Michael L. Printz Honor award in 2005. His novel, Trouble, came out in spring 2008, and Okay for Now in 2012 - becoming a National Book Award Finalist. In God's Hands, a picture book co-authored with Rabbi Lawrence Kushner, was a runner-up for the 2005 National Jewish Book Award. His most recent picture book is The Rose in the Desert: The Story of Martin de Porres.

In addition to multiple “Best Book” lists, his work has been given a Horn Book Honor award and a Blue Ribbon award by the Bulletin for the Center of Children's Books. He has also authored or co-authored numerous textbooks, scholarly and academic books (including biographies of Katherine Paterson and Robert McCloskey), articles, and book reviews.

Javaka Steptoe is an eclectic young artist, designer, and illustrator, building a national reputation as an outstanding contributor to the genre of children’s literature. His debut work, In Daddy’s Arms I Am Tall: African Americans Celebrating Fathers, earned him the Coretta Scott King Illustrator Award, a nomination for Outstanding Children’s Literature Work at the 1998 NAACP Image Awards, a finalist ranking for the Bluebonnet Award for Excellence in Children’s Books, and countless other honors. His books, Do You Know What I’ll Do? authored by Charlotte Zolotow and A Pocketful of Poems authored by Nikki Grimes, received starred reviews from both Publishers Weekly and the ALA Booklist. Hot Day on Abbott Avenue, written by Karen English, received the 2005 Jane Addams Children’s Book Award. Steptoe is also the author/illustrator of The Jones Family Express. His most recent illustration projects include Rain Play by Cynthia Cotten, published in 2008, Amiri and Odette: A Love Story by multi-award-winning author Walter Dean Myers, the 2010 New York Times Bestseller, Jimi: Sounds Like a Rainbow (2011 Coretta Scott King Illustrator Award Honor Book), and Radiant Child: The Story of Young Artist Jean-Michel Basquiat (2017 Caldecott Award, 2017 NAACP Image Award Nomination for Outstanding Literary Work – Children, 2017 ALA Coretta Scott Award).

Matt Faulkner is an award winning children’s book author and illustrator. He has authored/illustrated more than 30 books for children including The Amazing Voyage of Jackie Grace, and A Taste of Colored Water, which received the Comstock Honor award by the Minnesota State University, was chosen as a finalist by the California Commonwealth Club for its 2009 Book award and was chosen as a winner in the pre-adolescent category by the National Storytelling Network. The NSNetwork also chose Independent Dames: What You Never Knew About the Women and Girls of the American Revolution (written by Laurie Halse Anderson) as the winner of its adolescent category in 2009. Faulkner is also a contributing illustrator to such national periodicals as The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal and Forbes and teaches illustration at the Art Academy University in San Francisco.

In addition, a special Meet the Author event will be held at Kalamazoo Public Library’s Central Library, 315 South Rose Street, Kalamazoo on Thursday, November 16, 6:30 pm. This event is free and open to the public. Mitali Perkins, Gary Schmidt, Javaka Steptoe and Matt Faulkner will speak about their work. Bookbug, a local independent bookstore, will have books for sale for signing. All ages are welcome.

For more information and to register for one, or both days of the 40th Annual Mary Calletto Rife Youth Literature Seminar, please visit kpl.gov/yls.

Geek Fest 2017

Sep 21, 2017 03:02:51 PM

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Get Geeked for Geek Fest 2017! The 2nd Annual comic book, gaming, cosplay convention for all ages will be held on Saturday, October 14, 11 am - 3 pm at the Antwerp Activity Center at 24821 Front Street in Mattawan. The event is free and open to the public.

Since 1987, Library Card Sign-up Month has been held each September to mark the beginning of the school year. For students, a library card is essential. A library card provides access to e-books, homework help and a multitude of online research tools and resources for their studies.

A library card at KPL also means access to computers and free Internet access. For those without Internet access at home, a library card may mean the difference between failing and having a successful school year.

Of course, a library card is not just for students. Everyone benefits from having free, open access to information, materials, resources, and the technology required to successfully navigate in society today.

September 1-30: Get Carded and Get Rewarded!

Kalamazoo residents who sign up for, or renew their KPL Library Card during the month of September are eligible for exclusive discounts at participating businesses as well as being entered for a bonus reward! Just follow these steps below.

Step 2: Visit participating Kalamazoo businesses, show your KPL Library Card, and receive an exclusive 10% off discount. Participating businesses will have a poster on display indicating their participation. A list of participating businesses can be found at www.kpl.gov/getcarded. This list will continue to grow during the month of September, so be sure to check back frequently for updates.

Step 3: Explore, Discover and Engage with all the resources and services available to you and your family as KPL Library Card holders. Visit your library online at www.kpl.org or at any of our five locations!

Bonus: Present a Library Card Sign-up Month postcard at time of sign-up or renewal, and be entered into a drawing for an Amazon Fire 7. Five chances to win! Only new and renewed KPL Library Cardholders are eligible to enter.

Participating BusinessesDuring the month of September only, the following businesses are offering a 10% discount to customers who present their Kalamazoo Public Library Card at time of purchase. *Some restrictions may apply. See below or inquire at time of purchase.

Participating businesses will have a Library Card Sign-up Month poster on display indicating their participation. This list will continue to grow during the month of September, so be sure to check www.kpl.gov/getcarded frequently for updates.

Participating Community OrganizationsKalamazoo Public Library thanks the following community organizations that are supporting Library Card Sign-up Month by spreading the word to local residents about all KPL has to offer them.

Kalamazoo Public Library Announces Reading Together 2018 Title

Aug 17, 2017 03:01:58 PM

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Kalamazoo Public Library is pleased to announce the Reading Together title for 2018: Evicted: Poverty and Profit in the American City by Pulitzer Prize-winning author Matthew Desmond. Join us at Chenery Auditorium on Friday, March 16, 7 pm to hear Desmond speak about his New York Times bestselling book. Admission is free and open to the public. The presentation will be followed by a book signing. Michigan News Agency will sell copies of Evicted at the event.

In this brilliant, heartbreaking book, Desmond takes us into the poorest neighborhoods of Milwaukee to tell the stories of eight families on the edge, whose fates are in the hands of two landlords. This masterful book transforms our understanding of poverty and economic exploitation while providing fresh ideas for solving a devastating, uniquely American problem. Print copies are now available at all KPL locations. Find digital copies in KPL’s catalog.

“…every once in a while a book comes along that changes the national conversation…Evicted looks to be one of those books.” –Pamela Paul, editor of the New York Times Book Review.

MacArthur Genius Matthew Desmond’s New York Times bestselling book Evicted: Poverty and Profit in the American City draws on years of embedded fieldwork and painstakingly gathered data. Evicted won the 2017 Pulitzer Prize, National Books Critics Circle Award for Nonfiction, the Andrew Carnegie Medal for Excellence in Nonfiction, the PEN/John Kenneth Galbraith Award for Nonfiction, and the Barnes & Noble’s Discover New Writers Award, and is a finalist for the Los Angeles Times Book Prize for Current Interest. It was named one of the Top Books of 2016 by nearly three dozen outlets, including The New York Times, The Washington Post, Publishers Weekly, Entertainment Weekly, Kirkus, The Boston Globe, and The Wall Street Journal. Including it on her personal best-of-the-year list, Jennifer Senior of the New York Times also called it 2016’s most “un-ignorable” book: “Nothing else this year came close.”

About the AuthorMatthew Desmond is a professor of sociology at Princeton University. His primary teaching and research interests include urban sociology, poverty, race and ethnicity, organizations and work, social theory, and ethnography. In 2015, Desmond was awarded his MacArthur genius grant for “revealing the impact of eviction on the lives of the urban poor and its role in perpetuating racial and economic inequality.”

A former member of the Harvard Society of Fellows, Desmond is also the author of the award-winning book On the Fireline, the coauthor of two books on race, and the editor of a collection of studies on severe deprivation in America. He has written essays on educational inequality, dangerous work, political ideology, race and social theory, and the inner-city housing market. The principal investigator of the Milwaukee Area Renters Study, an original survey of tenants in Milwaukee’s low-income private housing sector, Desmond has been supported by the Ford, Russell Sage, and National Science Foundations. He is a Contributing Writer for The New York Times Magazine, and his writing has appeared in The New York Times and The Chicago Tribune. For more information on Matthew Desmond, please visit justshelter.org.

About Reading TogetherThe purpose of Reading Together is to build a stronger community with deeper connections through the common experience of reading the same book and exploring its themes together. When we do that, we engage and learn, not only about ourselves, but more importantly about each other and the world around us.

One Book, One CommunityBy experiencing the same book, hearing the author of that work speak right here in Kalamazoo, and delving deeper into the books' themes, we are able to embrace our similarities and differences from a common point of reference.

Kalamazoo Public Library Welcomes Ryan Wieber as the New Library Director

Jun 6/, 2017 06:05:29 PM

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Kalamazoo Public Library is pleased to welcome Ryan Wieber as the new library director. Current director, Ann Rohrbaugh will be retiring on June 30, after 45 years of service to the library.

Ryan Wieber has served as the Director of Van Buren District Library since 2013. He was responsible for the overall administration of a district library system consisting of a central location, and six branches. During his time as director of Van Buren District Library, Wieber implemented a strategic planning process, addressed budgetary issues, overhauled the IT department and updated network technology. Wieber’s increased efforts in outreach, marketing and communications helped elevate Van Buren District Library’s position as a vital community service.

Prior to being director for Van Buren District Library, Wieber served as the director of the Otsego District Library. During his 13 years as director, he championed initiatives that tripled Otsego District Library’s annual patron visits and increased materials circulation by 150%. Wieber led a successful fundraising campaign and bond issue, which resulted in the construction of a new, state-of-the-art library to serve the Otsego community. Wieber also developed new branding for Otsego District Library and revitalized their marketing efforts.

Ryan Wieber graduated with his B.A. from Western Michigan University in 1992, and earned his Master of Library and Information Science degree from Wayne State University in 1995. Wieber currently resides in Otsego but plans to relocate to Kalamazoo. His official start date with Kalamazoo Public Library will be Tuesday, August 1.

"Kalamazoo Public Library is recognized statewide and nationally as a great public library system, with an incredible staff and a strong mission toward providing outstanding service and access for all its residents. Libraries everywhere look to Kalamazoo as the place that does it right.

I’m excited to continue ensuring that the library remains a valuable part of a community that loves its library, and I am honored to serve as the next director at Kalamazoo Public Library."

On behalf of Kalamazoo Public Library’s staff, board, trustees and the Kalamazoo community, we welcome Ryan Wieber to Kalamazoo Public Library. Given his extensive experience serving as a library director for both Van Buren District Library and Otsego District Library, we are confident that Ryan Wieber will continue the legacy of KPL, and guide our future success in the community and beyond.

May 17, 2017 10:48:20 AM

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Kalamazoo Public Library Director Ann Rohrbaugh will be retiring on June 30. A new director is expected to be named in late May and begin early July.

Originally from Pennsylvania, Ann Rohrbaugh came to Kalamazoo to attend graduate school in library science at Western Michigan University. She took a part-time job at Kalamazoo Public Library and never left. Upon graduation, Rohrbaugh became a reference librarian, moved on to serve many administrative positions, and was assistant director before being hired as director in 2005.

During her time at Kalamazoo Public Library, Rohrbaugh served on the building committee as assistant director which oversaw the renovation of Central Library, Alma Powell and Washington Square Branch Libraries, as well as the construction of the Oshtemo and Eastwood Branch Libraries. As director, she led a strategic planning process that set library priorities for the past six years. During the recession of 2008, Rohrbaugh implemented cost-saving changes to library services, including reduction of staff by 10% through retirements and attrition, and most notably, the cancellation of the bookmobile service. These changes enabled Kalamazoo Public Library to keep all five locations open for business.

“I have had a wonderful career here at Kalamazoo Public Library,” says Rohrbaugh. “It has been an honor to work with a dedicated staff that are passionate about our services and truly want to make a difference in our community. Our governing boards over the years have shown equal passion for the library and its place in the community. And finally, but most importantly, I have appreciated the support of the community that has continued to prioritize their local library as an essential service by voting for the passage of millages, participating in our programs and using our services.”

While Ann Rohrbaugh is ready to move on to the next chapter, she will return to Kalamazoo Public Library often, however, as a frequent patron.

Since 1998, Ready to Read has celebrated national Stand for Children Day with a special story hour to focus community attention on the importance of sharing books with young children.

On Wednesday, May 31 at 10 am, Kalamazoo County preschoolers, their parents, teachers and child care providers are invited to Bronson Park to hear stories read by community leaders and costumed story book characters. Each child will receive a healthy snack, juice and a gift book courtesy of Kalamazoo Public Library.

This event is free. Bring a blanket to sit on. Portable toilets will be available in the park. Weather cancellations may apply.

Apr 20, 2017 03:01:02 PM

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Kalamazoo Public Library is proud to welcome New York Times bestselling author Nikki Grimes to Kalamazoo on Tuesday, May 9, 6 pm at the Alma Powell Branch Library. This event is free and open to the public. No registration is required.

Grimes will visit Kalamazoo schools and Kalamazoo Public Library to discuss her writing and career with Kalamazoo kids, teens, and families. A book sale and signing will immediately follow the event. Books will be sold by local, independent bookstore, Bookbug.

Nikki Grimes won the Wilder Award at the Youth Media Awards in 2017, the 2016 Virginia Hamilton Literary Award, and the 2006 NCTE Award for Excellence in Poetry for Children.

Her distinguished works include ALA Notable book, What is Goodbye?, Coretta Scott King Award winner Bronx Masquerade, and Coretta Scott King Author Honor books Jazmin's Notebook, Talkin' About Bessie, Dark Sons, The Road to Paris, and Words with Wings. Creator of the popular collection of poems, Meet Danitra Brown, Ms. Grimes lives in Corona California.

Many of Nikki Grimes' writings are available for check-out via the Kalamazoo Public Library Catalog. Place your hold today! You must have a KPL card to check out materials. Don't have a card? Get carded today!

14th Annual Teen Filmmaker Festival

Feb 27, 2017 03:52:01 PM

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The Oscars is old news! It's time to roll out the red carpet for the 14th Annual Teen Filmmaker Festival!

When: Saturday, March 4, 12 pmWhere:Chenery Auditorium, 714 S. Westnedge Ave. This event is free and open to the public.

Nearly 100 film shorts were submitted by some of Michigan's most talented teens, but only 21 of them made the cut for the final round to win top prizes. Popcorn will be provided and the audience will have the opportunity to vote for the People's Choice award!

Aubrey Hardaway is a multimedia artist in Kalamazoo who specializes in diversity and inclusion animation, video, and photography. She is the Chair of the Art and New Media Program at Kalamazoo Valley Community College's Center for New Media where she is the lead instructor of Animation/Game Art and Multimedia/Video. Aubrey also mentors students of all ages in film making, animation, and fine art. But what she is really known for is her series of fairy illustrations she created for eight years that celebrate all walks of life. Currently she is working on an animated short to be showcased at the June Art Hop of this year.

Cristen Leifheit is a moving image artist. She earned a BFA from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign in photography and has expanded her knowledge of the single photographic image to create highly crafted image sequences. Her films have been screened in various galleries and festivals across the US and Europe. The videos emphasize bugs and animals as characters and themes that include paranoia, the cyclical and survival. Leifheit's recent work has expanded to include technology's role in the interruption of natural cycles and the transformation of the physical landscape. The medium of stop motion creates a surreal and transformative quality of the work that usually falls between the state of narrative of film and experimental moving image.

Joel Potrykus is an American writer/director who resides in Grand Rapids where he continues to work with his filmmaking band, Sob Noisse. Buzzard (2014) (SXSW) is the final installment in his Animal Trilogy, following the feature film Ape (2012) (winner of Best Emerging Director, Locarno Film Festival) and the super 8 short cycle Coyote (2010). Along with production, Potrykus teaches screenwriting at Grand Valley State University and writes for an annual film criticism publication. He has also been the subject of retrospectives at the Brooklyn Academy of Music in 2015 and at the 2016 Valdivia Film Festival in Chile.

Coverage

The Public Media Network will cover the Teen Filmmaker Festival and will broadcast all entries chosen for the festival, the awards presentations, and interviews with the winners. DVDs of the festival will be available for purchase at cost to interested filmmakers and fans.

Kalamazoo Public Library puts Overdue Brew on Tap

Jan 13, 2017 12:42:01 PM

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Kalamazoo Public Library is excited to follow Kalamazoo Beer Week with an exciting chaser of a program – Overdue Brew! Formerly known as Booktoberfest, Overdue Brew has a new look and better programs than ever! What else is new? All of the Overdue Brew programs will be held at some of the most popular local breweries so participants can also enjoy a pint or two.

Overdue Brew features a great flight of events that no craft beer lover will want to miss! All Overdue Brew programs are free and open to the public. Registration or free tickets are required. Please visit kpl.gov/overduebrew to learn more. Salud!

Saturday, January 21, 3 pm - 5:30 pm, Tibbs Brewing Company, 402 S Burdick St, KalamazooHistory of Brewing in Kalamazoo Trolley Tour - PROGRAM IS FULL! This event starts with check-in and a brief intro at Tibbs Brewing Company. Then, join us on a trolley tour with West Michigan Beer Tours and learn about our city’s illustrious beer brewing history with KPL expert, Keith Howard. Beer samples will be provided on the tour. Afterwards, join us at Tibbs for a complimentary pint! This event is free and open to the public. Seating is limited, registration required. Learn more…

Wednesday, February 1, 7 pm, Brite Eyes Brewing Co., 1156 S Burdick St, KalamazooIntro to Beer TastingAlex Mantakounis, owner of Tempo Vino Wintery, is a wine expert, certified beer judge, and an accomplished homebrewer. Join Alex as he guides tasters through a series of different styles of beer, and explains the different flavors, textures, and notes they should expect. Please register. Learn more…

Wednesday, February 8, 7 pm, Alamo Drafthouse Cinema, 180 Portage St, KalamazooStrange Brew: The MovieWatch a FREE screening of the classic 1983 Canadian comedy starring Dave Thomas and Rick Moranis. The movie (loosely based on Hamlet) is about two brothers, Bob and Doug McKenzie, and their quest to get free beer. Tickets and registration are required. Get your free ticket at Central Library, 315 South Rose Street, beginning February 1. Learn more…

Thursday, February 16, 7 pm, Boatyard Brewing Company, 432 E Paterson, KalamazooBeer CanningWe all love sampling new brews and learning how they are made, but have you ever wondered how they get packaged? Come out to Boatyard Brewing to watch a live demonstration by Michigan Mobile Canning! Their name says it all: they’re a mobile canning line that goes from brewery to brewery to help them can their beer! Watch the empty cans get loaded, filled, sealed, and boxed up. Please register. Learn more…

Thursday, February 23, 7 pm, One Well Brewing, 4213 Portage St, KalamazooDetroit Beer: A History of Brewing in the Motor CityStephen Johnson, author of Detroit Beer: A History of Brewing in the Motor City, will speak about the long history of brewing in the Motor City, from the small brewers of the mid-1800s to the recent boom of breweries like Atwater Brewery, Motor City Brewing Works, and the triumphant return of Stroh’s. It’s Detroit history by the pint. Johnson is also the owner and founder of Motor City Brew Tours and a WMU grad. Please register. Learn more...

Overdue BrewsShow your Kalamazoo Public Library library card at the participating breweries and receive a $1 off a pint of one of the featured Overdue Brews! Limit one per customer.

Tibbs Brewing Company: “Overdue Brew” (Belgian Chocolate Stout) Back by popular demand! Belly up to the bar and enjoy the official beer of Overdue Brew!

Recover Reading Together Book Cover Art Contest!

Dec 27, 2016 10:58:21 AM

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Attention artists! Do you ever find yourself inspired by book covers, imagining your own interpretations of particular titles? Do you have original ideas about what would capture readers' attention? Now's your chance!

During Art Hop on March 3, 2017, Kalamazoo Public Library will be featuring artwork from Recovering the Classics, a crowd-sourced collection of reimagined covers of work in the public domain. Anyone can contribute. As part of this show, we are hosting a contest to honor the 15th Anniversary of Reading Together; KPL's popular "one book, one city" initiative that focuses on building a stronger community with deeper connections through the common experience of reading the same book and exploring its themes together.

Kalamazoo Public Library invites illustrators, typographers and designers of all ages to choose the Reading Together book cover they would like to redesign and submit their artwork digitally. The deadline for submission is Friday, February 3, 5 pm EST. Your artwork will be displayed on kpl.gov beginning Monday, February 13 and ending Monday, February 27 at 5 pm EST. During that time, online votes from the public will be collected. Voters can vote for their top three choices.

Winners will be announced at Art Hop on Friday, March 3 at Central Library (315 South Rose Street). Art Hop begins at 7 pm. The top ten Reading Together recovers will be exhibited as part of the Recovering the Classics display.

Nov 2/, 2016 10:28:44 AM

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Calling all filmmakers age 12 - 19! Write those scripts and get your cameras rolling, it's time to get ready for the 14th Annual Teen Filmmaker Festival! Submissions are due January 20, 2017.

A jury will screen every film entered and select the finalists for screening at the Festival. Filmmakers will be notified via email if their film is selected. Not every film submitted to the Festival will be selected for screening at the public event. Titles of selected films will be posted on the Teen Filmmaker Festival Facebook page.

Films must be produced by teens, ages 12-19, who reside in the state of Michigan. More than one teen may work on a film. Adults may be talent in a film, but should perform no other duty in the actual creation of the film. Films may not be more than 10 minutes long. No bloopers, please. Teens may submit more than one film. Films submitted to the festival will not be returned.

A panel of judges will select the winners in each category except the People's Choice Award, which will be chosen at the Teen Filmmaker Festival by audience members.

New this year! Submit your films electronically via FilmFreeway. We strongly encourage online submissions. If you cannont submit electronically from home, submissions may be made via USB flash drive at the Central Library Teen Desk. If you need help, please contact the Teen Department or The Hub, KPL's digital lab.

Public Media Network, (PMN) will cover the Teen Filmmaker Festival and will broadcast the event. Check kpl.gov/teenfilmfest for broadcast dates and times. DVDs of festival coverage and interviews will be presented to award winners and available to purchase.

Kalamazoo Public Library Announces 2017 Reading Together Title

Oct 12, 2016 09:07:37 AM

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Kalamazoo, MI – Tuesday, October 12, 2016. Kalamazoo Public Library is pleased to announce the title for Reading Together 2017: Writings on the Wall: Searching for a New Equality Beyond Black and White by bestselling author, basketball legend, and cultural commentator – Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. Mr. Abdul-Jabbar will visit Kalamazoo for a Meet the Author event at Miller Auditorium on Tuesday, March 14, 2017 at 7 pm.

2017 marks the 15th Anniversary of Reading Together. To commemorate this occasion, KPL wanted to choose a book that addresses important yet divisive issues facing not only our community but the whole country. Writings on the Wall came to the attention of the selection committee immediately upon its release in August and quickly became the obvious choice, not only for the breadth of its content but also for the notoriety of its author. Honed from his life experience both on and off the basketball court, observations and conversations in his everyday life, Abdul-Jabbar explores American politics, racism, religion, gender issues, classism, the news media and much more. Copies will be available for check out at all Kalamazoo Public Library locations beginning November 1.

The 2017 Reading Together program will feature Kareem Abdul-Jabbar speaking about his book in an interview format, live, at Miller Auditorium on Tuesday, March 14, at 7 pm, followed by Q&A and book signing. Books will be sold at the event by local, independent bookstore, Michigan News Agency. This event is free and open to the public.

Throughout the month of March and into April, Reading Together will feature several programs that explore the concepts and themes presented in Abdul-Jabbar’s work, with an opportunity for engaging discussion and revelation. Information about the 2017 Reading Together program will be posted on readingtogether.us as dates and programs are confirmed.

The purpose of Reading Together is to build a stronger community with deeper connections through the common experience of reading the same book and exploring its themes together. When we do that, we engage and learn, not only about ourselves, but also more importantly about each other and the world around us.

By experiencing the same book, hearing the author of that work speak right here in Kalamazoo, and delving deeper into the books’ themes, we are able to embrace our similarities and differences from a common point of reference. Very simply, when we read together, we grow together.

About Kareem Abdul-Jabbar:Since retiring from professional basketball as the NBA's all-time leading scorer, six-time MVP, and Hall of Fame inductee, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar has become a lauded observer of culture and society, a New York Times bestselling author, and a regular contributor to The Washington Post, TIME magazine and TIME.com.

He now brings that keen insight to the fore in Writings on the Wall: Searching for a New Equality Beyond Black and White, his most incisive and important work of non-fiction in years. He uses his unique blend of erudition, street smarts and authentic experience in essays on the country's seemingly irreconcilable partisan divide - both racial and political, parenthood, and his own experiences as an athlete, African-American, and a Muslim. The book is not just a collection of expositions; he also offers keen assessments of and solutions to problems such as racism in sports while speaking candidly about his experiences on the court and off.

Timed for publication as the nation debates whom to send to the White House, the combination of plain talk on issues, life lessons, and personal stories places Writings on the Wall squarely in the middle of the conversation, as many of Abdul-Jabbar's topics are at the top of the national agenda. Whether it is sparring with Donald Trump, within the pages of TIME magazine, or full-length features in the The New York TimesMagazine, writers, critics, and readers have come to agree on what The Washington Post observed: Abdul-Jabbar "has become a vital, dynamic and unorthodox cultural voice."

Embracing Forgiveness at Kalamazoo Public Library

Oct 6/, 2016 03:23:40 PM

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In 2005, Jameel McGee said he was minding his own business when a police officer accused and arrested him for drug dealing. Four years later, former Benton Harbor police officer Andrew Collins would admit that he falsified the report to bolster his drug arrest quota. Collins was convicted for 1.5 years for misconduct. McGee was exonerated, but had lost four years of his life for a crime he didn't commit.

In 2015, the men found themselves at the same unemployment office where they came to a point of forgiveness, and eventually, friendship.

In honor of the Embracing Forgiveness program, all Kalamazoo Public Library locations will be embracing the power of forgiveness with a Fine Forgiveness Week! During October 23 - 29, visit any KPL location and have your overdue fines waived! Lost and damaged material charges are not included. Patrons must visit a KPL location to have their fines waived. Email and phone requests will not be honored. For more information, call 342-9837.

Meet Two-time Newbery Award-winning Author Gary Schmidt!

Sep 27, 2016 02:51:50 PM

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Meet two-time Newbery Honor-winning author and National Book Award Finalist, Gary D. Schmidt! Join us Wednesday, October 12, 6:30 pm at Central Library. Gary is the author of Orbiting Jupiter, The Wednesday Wars, Okay for Now, Lizzie Bright and the Buckminster Boy and many more beloved novels. Book signing and sale to follow. Books will be provided by Bookbug, a local, independent bookstore.

Gary Schmidt is a professor of English at Calvin College in Grand Rapids, Michigan. He received both a Newbery Honor and a Printz Honor for Lizzie Bright and the Buckminster Boy and a Newbery Honor for The Wednesday Wars. He lives with his family on a 150-year-old farm in Alto, Michigan, where he splits wood, plants gardens, writes and feeds the wild cats that drop by.

Kalamazoo County is Ready to Read!

Sep 19, 2016 10:13:02 AM

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Kalamazoo is excited to welcome back acclaimed author and early childhood expert, Dr. Robert Needlman! Dr. Needlman is a leading pediatrician, professor and author. He is the cofounder of the Reach Out and Read literacy program, which now helps millions of children grow up loving books. Neeldman is also a widely-featured speaker on early learning, literacy and developmental-behavioral pediatrics. In addition to being the revising co-author of Dr. Spock'sBaby and Child Care, 8th and 9th editions, he is the author of Dr. Spock's Baby Basics and writes for DrSpock.com.

Dr. Needlman will be in Kalamazoo October 6 and 7 for the following events:

Calling all early childhood educators and caregivers! Join us for an afternoon of professional development with keynote speaker Dr. Robert Needlman, co-founder of the national Reach Out and Read Program. Features break-out sessions including information and activities on how to promote the importance of early literacy with your clients. Certificate of completion included.

Continuing Professional Education: Dr. Robert Needlman will present at WMED Pediatric Grand Rounds and will speak about the importance of promoting early childhood literacy during pediatric appointments.

Dr. Needlman's visit is in partnership with Great Start Collaborative Kalamazoo County, Reach out and Read, Kalamazoo Public Library, KC Ready4s and Ladies' Library Association.

Jul 26, 2016 01:11:59 PM

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Spend an afternoon with the beloved author and illustrator of Eek! There’s a Mouse in the House, Summer Days and Nights, and Detective Small in the Amazing Banana Caper, among other timeless favorites.

Wong Herbert Yee is the author and illustrator of Tracks in the Snow, Who Likes Rain, Fireman Small and Big Black Bear, among other books. Born in Detroit, Michigan, one of his favorite memories of childhood is of leaving the first tracks on fresh-fallen snow. He also remembers his first grade teacher tacking one of his drawings on the bulletin board—ever since then, he’s been an artist. He studied printmaking at Wayne State University. He lives with his wife and daughter in Troy, Michigan. Read more.

Elections for Kalamazoo Public Library District Board: Deadline to file - August 16

Jul 8/, 2016 04:22:26 PM

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Elections for four open trustee seats on the Kalamazoo Public Library District board will take place on Tuesday, November 8. The filing deadline is Tuesday, August 16, by 4:00 pm and must be delivered to the Kalamazoo City Clerk. Nonpartisan petition forms are available from the appropriate Township or City Clerk (preferred) or the Kalamazoo County Clerk. Affidavit of Identity forms are available from Township Clerk, County Clerk, or online at michigan.gov/elections.

Kalamazoo Public Library's seven-member board is elected by voters in the Kalamazoo Public Library district. For more information about the Kalamazoo Public Library board, visit kpl.gov/board.

Jun 24, 2016 11:33:13 AM

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Kalamazoo Public Library is honored to welcome two-time Newbery Medalist and former National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature, Kate DiCamillo back to Kalamazoo with her new bestseller, Raymie Nightingale!

Raymie Clarke has come to realize that everything, absolutely everything, depends on her. And she has a plan. If Raymie can win the Little Miss Central Florida Tire competition, then her father, who left town two days ago with a dental hygienist, will see Raymie's picture in the paper and (maybe) come home. To win, not only does Raymie have to do good deeds and learn how to twirl a baton; she also has to contend with the wispy, frequently fainting Louisiana Elefante, who has a show-business background, and the fiery, stubborn Beverly Tapinski, who’s determined to sabotage the contest. But as the competition approaches, loneliness, loss, and unanswerable questions draw the three girls into an unlikely friendship — and challenge each of them to come to the rescue in unexpected ways.

"As in her previous award-winning books, DiCamillo once again shows that life’s underlying sadnesses can also be studded with hope and humor, and does it in a way so true that children will understand it in their bones. And that’s why she’s Kate the Great." —Booklist

"DiCamillo's third-person narrative is written in simple words, few exceeding three syllables, yet somehow such modest prose carries the weight of deep meditations on life, death, the soul, friendship, and the meaning of life without ever seeming heavy, and there's even a miracle to boot. Readers will approach the tense and dramatic conclusion and realize how much each word matters. Raymie may not find answers to why the world exists or how the world works, but she can hold onto friends and begin to see more clearly the world as it is...Once again, DiCamillo demonstrates the power of simple words in a beautiful and wise tale." —Kirkus Reviews

"With extraordinary skill, two-time Newbery Medalist DiCamillo traces the girls’ growing trust in each other while using understated confessionals and subtly expressed yearnings to show how tragedies have affected each of them. The book culminates with a daring cat-rescue mission: fraught with adventure, danger, and a miracle or two, the escapade reveals how love and compassion can overcome even the highest hurdles."—Publishers Weekly

Bookbug will sell copies of DiCamillo’s books for signing. DiCamillo will sign an unlimited number of Raymie Nightingale, and just one backlist title per person.

Kate DiCamillo is the author of many books for young readers. Her books have been awarded the Newbery Medal (The Tale of Despereaux, 2004); the Newbery Honor (Because of Winn-Dixie, 2001), the Boston Globe Horn Book Award (The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane, 2006), and the Theodor Geisel Medal and honor (Bink and Gollie, co-author Alison McGhee, 2011; Mercy Watson Goes for a Ride, 2007). She is the current National Ambassador for Young People's Literature, appointed by the Library of Congress.

Celebrate Fathers at Kalamazoo Public Library

Jun 16, 2016 04:01:29 PM

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When you think of father/child bonding moments, what comes to mind? The media often portrays fathers bonding with their sons by playing a sport with them. Fathers are also commonly shown having a tea party with their daughters. While both of these are great ways to bond, and certainly cute, there is one bonding opportunity that is underrated but has by far the most positive impact on your child’s life – reading.

Reading to your children and reading in front of your children develop a lifelong love of reading for children and has been proven to contribute to brain development and higher success in academia. Not to mention the opportunity to cuddle!

That is why Kalamazoo Public Library is celebrating fathers who read to their children with a Father’s Day Read-In on Saturday, June 18, 2 pm at Central Library. Join us in this 2-hour read-in event by sharing and listening to stories. Children will also be able to create special Father’s Day cards to give to their loved ones. All ages are welcome! No registration is required.

Author Bill Beverly Coming to Kalamazoo June 14

Jun 8/, 2016 11:07:28 AM

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Kalamazoo native Bill Beverly will return to his home town to celebrate the successful debut of his latest novel, Dodgers. Join us on Tuesday, June 14, 7 pm at Central Library to hear Beverly share what inspired him to write this book.

Dodgers is a dark, unforgettable coming-of-age journey that recalls the very best of Richard Price, Denis Johnson, and J.D. Salinger. It is the story of a young LA gang member named East, who is sent by his uncle along with some other teenage boys—including East's hothead younger brother—to kill a key witness hiding out in Wisconsin. The journey takes East out of a city he's never left and into an America that is entirely alien to him, ultimately forcing him to grapple with his place in the world and decide what kind of man he wants to become.

Written in stark and unforgettable prose and featuring an array of surprising and memorable characters rendered with empathy and wit, Dodgers heralds the arrival of a major new voice in American fiction.

Bill Beverly grew up in Kalamazoo, Michigan, and studied at Oberlin College and the University of Florida. His research on criminal fugitives and the stories surrounding them became the book On the Lam: Narratives of Flight in J. Edgar Hoover’s America. He teaches American literature and writing at Trinity University in Washington, DC.

Kalamazoo Public Library Kicks Off Summer with a Party

May 27, 2016 10:55:27 AM

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Finally! The weather has turned around and summer is in
sight. Kalamazoo Public Library is excited to kick off the summer fun with a
party!

On Wednesday, June 1, at 10 am, KPL will celebrate its 19th
Annual Party in the
Park in Bronson Park! Since 1998,
Ready to Read has celebrated national Stand for
Children Day with a special story hour to focus community attention on the
importance of sharing books with young children.

Kalamazoo County preschoolers, their parents, teachers and
childcare providers are invited to Bronson Park to hear stories read by
community leaders and costumed storybook characters. Each child receives
healthy snacks, juice and a gift book courtesy of Kalamazoo Public Library.

June 1 is also the official kick-off for the Summer Reading Challenge! All Kalamazoo Public Library locations are being invaded by robots,
and they want to take over and Activate Summer!
Are you up to the Challenge?

Read or listen to books for at least 20 minutes per
day. Simply record each day that you
read for 20 minutes or more on your challenge card or log your reading online.

When you have completed 15 days (they do not need to be
consecutive days), bring your challenge card to the library for a reward! (or
let the library staff know you earned a reward online.)

For the first time EVER, Summer Reading Challengers can now play online! You can log your daily
reading, view book lists, get book recommendations and earn badges for
completing learning activities.

Earn incentives by logging reading, attending events, and
completing activities this summer. There
are 5 learning tracks in which you can earn a digital badge and/or a sticker
for your challenge card: Lead, Create, Read, Explore, Move. Earn all 5 badges
and get a special prize!

Reading Challengers are welcome to play either online, or
use the paper challenge board. The rules and prizes are the same. For those
playing online, badges earned for the five learning tracks are digital. For
those using the paper challenge board, badges are stickers that can be affixed
to the appropriate robot: Lead, Create, Read, Explore, and Move. Once
completed, save your challenge board to show your friends and family!

There are 92 possible reading days from Wednesday, June 1
through the Challenge’s end on Wednesday, August 31. You may complete four,
15-day reading segments within those 92 days, so you can earn up to four
rewards! For more information about Summer Reading Challenge including how to
claim your reward, prizes and deadlines, please visit www.kpl.gov/summer. Happy reading!

If you are planning on being in downtown Kalamazoo for June Jubilee on
June 4, be sure to stop by Central
Library and enjoy all the fun activities planned for our kick-off party, as
well as get great deals at The Friends Annual June Jubilee
Bag-of-Books Sale! The Bag-of-Books Sale starts at 9 am in Central
Library’s parking lot on Rose and Lovell. The Summer Reading Challenge kick-off
party starts at 12 pm and will be under Central Library’s portico on South and
Rose.

Teams competed for a possible 120 points. Questions were pulled from the 2016 Global Reading Challenge Reading List and teams had 30 seconds to answer. The winning team received the “traveling” Global Reading Challenge trophy to have at their school for the year. All teams received a plaque for their school and a Global Reading Challenge t-shirt.

The Global Reading Challenge is a Battle of the Books program sponsored by the Kalamazoo Public Library. The Challenge promotes the reading of fiction and nonfiction that celebrate the world’s diverse community.

HistoryIn the late 1930s two Chicago school librarians developed a program to test young readers’ knowledge of good literature. The program reached thousands of Chicago school children and was quickly turned into a weekly radio quiz program known as “The Battle of the Books.” Questions about characters, plots, and settings were answered by teams representing public elementary schools. Answers were usually the titles of well-known fiction books and biographies.

How it WorksTen books are selected each year by Kalamazoo children's librarians, especially suited to the reading interests of their young readers. A wide range of reading levels is represented by selected books so all students can participate in the Challenge. Questions are based on specific factual and content information found within the 10 selected books.

In the month of March, school challenges are conducted in each school building by library staff. Branch challenges are then held at individual branches. Winning branch teams will compete in the District Challenge.

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Meet Jason Reynolds, one of the winners of the inaugural Walter Dean Myers Award for Outstanding Children’s Literature. Reynolds will speak about his life experiences and what inspires him as a writer. Doors will open at 6 pm. Reynold’s books will be offered for sale by a local independent bookstore, Bookbug. If you have not heard Jason Reynolds speak, trust us, you don't want to miss this epic event! In the meantime, be sure to visit your local Kalamazoo Public Library location and check out his latest, All American Boys!

About Jason ReynoldsJason Reynolds is crazy – about stories. After earning a BA in English from The University of Maryland, College Park, he moved to Brooklyn, New York, where you can often find him walking the four blocks from the train to his apartment talking to himself. Well, not really talking to himself, but just repeating character names and plot lines he thought of on the train, over and over again, because he’s afraid he’ll forget it all before he gets home. Jason is the author of critically acclaimed When I Was the Greatest, for which he was the recipient of the Coretta Scott King/John Steptoe Award for New Talent; the Coretta Scott King Honor books Boy in the Black Suit and All American Boys (co-written with Brendan Kiely); and As Brave as You, his middle grade debut. You can find his ramblings at JasonWritesbooks.com.

The Public Media Network will broadcast all entries chosen for the festival, the awards presentations and interviews with the winner. DVDs of the festival coverage and the filmmaker interviews were given to the winners and are available for purchase at cost to interested filmmakers and fans.

Broadcast Schedule

All broadcasts will air on Charter 187/U-Verse 99 starting 2/25 - 3/20:

Sundays, 10 pm

Tuesdays, 9 pm

Wednesdays, 2 am

Thursdays, 4 pm

Saturdays, 12 pm

This years winning films and winning films from previous Teen Filmmaker Festivals can be found at kpl.gov/teenfilmfest.

Meet the Author: Christina Baker KlineHidden in Plain Sight: The Story of the Orphan Trains and the Making of the NovelMonday, March 7, 7 pm Kalamazoo Central High School Auditorium 2432 N. Drake Road

About Orphan Train:Between 1854 and 1929, so-called orphan trains ran regularly from the cities of the East Coast to the farmlands of the Midwest, carrying thousands of abandoned children whose fates would be determined by luck or chance. Would they be adopted by a kind and loving family, or would they face a childhood and adolescence of hard labor and servitude?

As a young Irish immigrant, Vivian Daly was one such child, sent by rail from New York City to an uncertain future a world away. Returning east later in life, Vivian leads a quiet, peaceful existence on the coast of Maine, the memories of her upbringing rendered a hazy blur. But in her attic, hidden in trunks, are vestiges of a turbulent past.

Seventeen year-old Molly Ayer knows that a community service position helping the elderly widow clean out her attic is the only thing keeping her out of juvenile hall. But as Molly help Vivian sort through her keepsakes, she discovers that she and Vivian aren’t as different as they appear.

Moving between contemporary Maine and Depression-era Minnesota, Orphan Train is a powerful tale of upheaval and resilience, second chances, and unexpected friendship.

In addition to her five novels, Kline has written and edited five nonfiction books. She commissioned and edited two widely praised collections or original essays on the first year of parenthood and raising young children, Child of Mine and Room to Grow, and a book on grieving, Always Too Soon. She is the coeditor, with Anne Burt, of a collection of personal essays called About Face: Women Write About What They See When They Look in the Mirror, and is co-author, with her mother, Christina Looper Baker, of a book on feminist mothers and daughters, The Conversation Begins. Her essays, articles, and reviews have appeared in The New York Times, the San Francisco Chronicle, Money, More, Psychology Today, among other places.

About Reading Together One Book, One CommunityThe purpose of Reading Together is to build a stronger community with deeper connections through the common experience of reading the same book and exploring its themes together. When we do that, we engage and learn, not only about ourselves, but more importantly about each other and the world around us.

By experiencing the same book, hearing the author of that work speak right here in Kalamazoo, and delving deeper into the books’ themes, we are able to embrace our similarities and differences from a common point of reference.

Very simply, when we read together, we grow together.

2016 Reading Together Events

Meet the Author: Christina Baker KlineMarch 7, 7:00 PM Christina Baker Kline is the author of five novels, including the #1 New York Times bestseller, Orphan Train, about a young Irish immigrant who, as a child, is sent away from New York on a train that regularly transported unwanted and abandoned children from the East Coast to the farmlands of the Midwest. Moving between contemporary Maine and Depression-era Minnesota, Orphan Train is a powerful tale of upheaval and resilience. Her previous novels include Bird in Hand, The Way Life Should Be, Desire Lines and Sweet Water. Kalamazoo Central High School – Auditorium

Orphan Trains in MichiganMarch 10, 7:00 PM Did you know 12,500 orphans from New York City and the Boston area were placed in Michigan from 1854 to 1927? Al and David Eicher, research historians and television producers, spent a year and a half researching and gathering photographs about the Orphan Train Riders in Michigan. They have produced a lecture and a video documentary about this event in Michigan’s history, depicting in great detail the selection process and being an Orphan Train Rider.Central Library - Van Deusen Room

Grown-Up Show and TellMarch 12, 1:00 PM Remember when you brought a prized possession to school for Show & Tell? Why let children have all the fun? Our Show & Tell event is an opportunity to bring in an old photograph, a family memento or other personal artifact and tell a short story about it. Denise McCaffrey of Memories to Memoirs will moderate, and everyone, young or old, is welcome to become part of the conversation. Participants don’t have to show and tell—they can simply look and listen if they prefer. It’s free, fun and the stories will warm the heart.Portage District Library - Lower Level Meeting Rooms

What Defines Family?March 15, 7:00 PM Attend the premier screening of a KPL-produced documentary featuring local residents with particularly interesting family backgrounds, and learn what family means to them. Followed by Q&A with the participants.Eastwood Branch - Community Room

The History of FamiliesMarch 17, 7:00 PM How have families and the way they function in society changed over the years? How does the role children play in present day families compare with that of children being raised during the time of the orphan trains? What information such as style of clothing, popular toys, medical practices and educational approaches teach us about what life was like for both children and families? How does family life at that point in history compare with families’ lives today? Presenter: Andrea Smith, PhD, Western Michigan University Central Library - Van Deusen Room

Writing from the Threshold: A Workshop in Generating MemoirMarch 19, 1:00 PM The threshold is a location charged with energy and potential—a place “in between.” This workshop will ask participants to think about thresholds in their lives—places where they stood in a doorway, on the verge of something new. We will use structured prompts to generate thinking and writing about the personal past. No experience is necessary. Also offered April 2. Oshtemo Branch - Community Room

Foster Care Part I — SystemsMarch 21, 7:00 PM Members of the SWM Partners group, representing several different foster care service providers in Kalamazoo County, will host a panel presentation covering local data, the legal process, family placement, and child welfare concerns.

The SW MI Partners group is made up of public-private sector child welfare leaders in Kalamazoo County representing Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MIDHHS), Kalamazoo County Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services (KCMHSAS), Kalamazoo County Courts, and Private Agency partners Bethany Christian Services, Family & Children Services, and Lutheran Social Services of MI. These organizations have committed both individually and collaboratively to work toward the goal of improving the systems that provide safety, well being, and permanency for children who have come to the attention of the MIDHHS foster care system. Their primary focus is keeping the needs of the child at the center of systems designs and delivery, integrating best practices and strengthening families.Central Library - Van Deusen Room

Foster Care Part II — StoriesMarch 24, 7:00 PM What influences families to take in foster children? What are the challenges faced by young people who have lived in foster care when they transition to college? Hear some personal stories that answer these questions and others regarding the foster care experience today.Central Library - Van Deusen Room

Family CelebrationMarch 29, 4:30 PMOrphan Train celebrates the meaning of “family”— the one we’re born with as well as the ones we choose for ourselves. Let’s celebrate family together. Create an art project and take a FREE family photo with a professional photographer. Hosted by the Youth Services department.Washington Square Branch - Community Room

Preserving Family HistoryMarch 29, 7:00 PMThis presentation will highlight the importance of doing oral histories, including suggestions and examples of how to proceed. Ladies Library – Auditorium

The Resilience ProjectMarch 30, 7:00 PMThe Resilience Project is a collaboration between The Kalamazoo Promise, Seita Scholars Program, and Friendship Village. The purpose is to connect students with senior citizens to reflect upon their lived experience to extract examples of resilience. Many of the seniors are retired educators, doctors, and other professionals. Their stories mirror those of our students in that they are amazing examples of how to face the challenges of life and come through stronger, better, faster, conquerors.Friendship Village – Kiva

Writing from the Threshold: A Workshop in Generating MemoirApril 2, 1:00 PM (was also offered on March 19) The threshold is a location charged with energy and potential—a place “in between.” This workshop will ask participants to think about thresholds in their lives—places where they stood in a doorway, on the verge of something new. We will use structured prompts to generate thinking and writing about the personal past. No experience is necessary. Central Library - Van Deusen Room

Jan 5/, 2016 05:12:02 PM

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The Kalamazoo Public Library Board and Trustees met on Tuesday, January 5, 2016 to pass a resolution against Senate Bill 571, currently being reviewed by Governor Snyder.

SB 571 would prohibit libraries and other governmental entities from sharing information about millages within 60 days of an election. SB 571 reduces transparency in elections by prohibiting library employees and boards from answering factual questions from the people they serve.

Governor Snyder has until January 14th to sign or veto SB 571. In the meantime, librarians, library board members, library Friends and concerned citizens from across Michigan and the country have signed a petition crafted by EveryLibrary urging Governor Snyder to veto the bill.

The Kalamazoo Public Library resolution against Senate Bill 571 can be found here. The resolution was submitted to Governor Snyder's office on Tuesday, January 5.

Meet Innovators Making a Difference in Kalamazoo

Nov 10, 2015 09:26:08 AM

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Join us Thursday, November 12, 5:30 pm at Central Library, Van Deusen Room and meet three innovators making a difference in our community.

We know that members of our community are working hard to make Kalamazoo a better place to live and work. That's why the Kalamazoo Public Library and ONEplace started KICtalks, an event series that spotlights dynamic, innovative endeavors happening right now.

Join us every quarter for three, 10-minute talks presented by residents on the ground doing the work. The program is followed by a reception where locally-sourced refreshments will be served.

Thursday's KICtalks features:

Jeff Abshear, Kalamazoo Book Arts Center: The KBAC was founded in 2005 by artists and writers with a passion for book arts. Their vision is now a creative public space where artists and book enthusiasts of all kinds gather to collaborate and celebrate books and the many arts that inform them: papermaking, printmaking, letterpress, creative writing and bookbinding.

Marcus Collins, Restore Ministries: Restore works to assist returning citizens from incarceration back into community life with the central tools needed to become normal, ordinary responsible persons.

Michael Evans, Kalamazoo Literacy Council: Adult illiteracy is a growing problem in Kalamazoo County. Learn what you can do to help.

For more information about KICtalks, visit the website or contact Farrell Howe at 269-553-7879.

Meet the Author: Yolanda Neals

Nov 9/, 2015 03:58:07 PM

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Writer, Visionary, Survivor - Yolanda Neals is all of these and more. Join us at the Alma Powell Branch Library on Tuesday, November 10, 5:30 pm to hear Yolanda's story of triumph over tragedy.

Yolanda Neals, founder/visionary, of The RED Panty Society (TRPS), an empowerment social enterprise, is a self-proclaimed Empowerment Specialist, who studied Spiritual Life Coaching at Inner Visions Institute for Spiritual Development under the direct tutelage of best-selling author, Iyanla Vanzant.

Neals, along with four other African American women, recently authored the book DEAR Yvette: Shattered Fairytales, where Yolanda reveals a powerful account and narration of being a sexual abuse survivor, who empowered herself to overcome a turbulent childhood and adolescence.

Meet Neals and learn about The RED Panty Society and her experiences as both a survivor and a writer. For more information, visit our website.

Oct 19, 2015 10:59:35 AM

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Teen Filmmaker Festival is celebrating its 13th year (finally a teenager!). We are looking for the best teen-produced and directed films. If you think you have what it takes to become the next Spike Lee or Sofia Coppola, then write your script, cast your talent, gather your camera gear and get recording - Lights, Camera, ACTION!

Enter your films in the 13th Annual Teen Filmmaker Festival, the best film festival for teens in Michigan. Expert judges will award prizes for the best films in eight categories, plus a grand prize. Audience members will vote for the People's Choice. Deadline to apply is Saturday, January 30th by 5 pm EST to Teen Services Desk at Central Library. Participants must be age 12-19, and residents of Michigan to enter.

Award Categories

Grand Prize for Best Film

Best Animation

Best Experimental Film

Best Music Video

Best Short Film

Best Technical Merit

Judge's Choice

People's Choice

The 13th Annual Teen Filmmaker Festival will be held on Saturday, February 20, at 2:30 pm at Chenery Auditorium.

Submissions and Screening

You must attach an entry form to each film you enter in the Teen Filmmaker Festival. Only one film per form. Entries must be postmarked by Saturday, January 30. A jury will screen every film entered and select the finalists for screening at the Festival. Filmmakers will be notified via email by Monday, February 8,2016, if their film is selected. Not every film submitted to the Festival will be selected for screening at the public event. Titles of selected films will also be posted on the Facebook page.

In partnership with the Michigan Humanities Council, KPL is thrilled to present the 2015-2016 Great American Read author. Mandel’s novel, Station Eleven is set in a future Michigan turned upside down, but is ultimately an exploration of people surviving and remaking their lives by preserving the qualities that make us human: culture, art, and the humanities. Book sale by Michigan News Agency and signing will follow the reading.

Also, join us at the Kalamazoo Institute of Arts library for a book discussion of Station Eleven on Wednesday, September 16, 2 pm - 3 pm.

Emily St. John Mandel is the author of four novels, most recently Station Eleven, which was a finalist for a National Book Award and the PEN/Faulkner Award, and won the 2015 Arthur C. Clarke Award. A previous novel, The Singer's Gun, was the 2014 winner of the Prix Mystere de la Critique in France. Her short fiction and essays have been anthologized in numerous collections, including Best American Mystery Stories 2013. She is a staff writer for The Millions. She lives in New York City with her husband.

The Great Michigan Read is presented by the Michigan Humanities Council with support from Meijer, the National Endowment for the Humanities, and a host of other sponsors.

Author Season at KPL Kicks off With Katherine Applegate - September 22

Sep 16, 2015 01:18:42 PM

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Hunting for a good read? This fall, Kalamazoo Public Library is bringing an unprecedented number of award-winning authors to Kalamazoo!

Opening Author Season at KPL is Newbery Medal winner Katherine Applegate! Applegate will be hosting a release event for her upcoming novel, Crenshaw. Applegate's many books include her award-winning The One and Only Ivan, the Roscoe Riley Rules chapter book series, the picture book The Buffalo Storm, and the award-winning novel Home of the Brave. With her husband, Michael Grant, she wrote the hugely popular series, Animoprhs, which has sold more than 35 million copies worldwide. This event is co-sponsored by Bookbug.

Join us on Tuesday, September 22, 7 pm at Central Library. Seating is limited and free tickets are now available at Central Library.

In keeping with an important theme of Crenshaw, this event will also be a food drive, benefitting Loaves & Fishes. Attendees are encouraged to bring nonperishable food donations.

2016 Reading Together Author Announcement

Sep 15, 2015 11:41:42 AM

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The moment you have been waiting for has arrived! Kalamazoo Public Library is proud to announce the 2016 Reading Together book selection: Orphan Train by Christina Baker Kline.

Meet the Author: Christina Baker KlineMonday, March 7, 2016, 7 pmKalamazoo Central High School AuditoriumCopies of "Orphan Train" will be sold by Michigan News Agency at the eventAbout Orphan TrainBetween 1854 and 1929, so-called orphan trains ran regularly from the cities of the East Coast to the farmlands of the Midwest, carrying thousands of abandoned children whose fates would be determined by pure luck. Would they be adopted by a kind and loving family, or would they face a childhood and adolescence of hard labor and servitude?

As a young Irish immigrant, Vivian Daly was one such child, sent by rail from New York City to an uncertain future away. Returning east later in life, Vivian leads a quiet, peaceful existence on the coast of Maine, the memories of her upbringing a hazy blur. But in her attic, hidden in trunks, are the vestiges of a turbulent past.

Seventeen-year-old Molly Ayer knows that a community-service position helping an elderly widow clean out her attic is the only thing keeping her out of juvenile hall. But as Molly helps Vivian sort through her keepsakes and possessions, she discovers that she and Vivian aren't as different as they appear. A Penobscot Indian who has spent her youth in and out of foster homes, Molly is also an outsider being raised by strangers, and she, too, has unanswered questions about the past.

Moving between contemporary Maine and Depression-era Minnesota, Orphan Train is a powerful tale of upheaval and resilience, second chances, and unexpected friendships. - HarperCollins

About Christina Baker KlineChristina Baker Kline is the author of five novels, including the #1 New York Times bestselling Orphan Train. Her other novels include Bird in Hand, The Way Life Should Be, Desire Lines and Sweet Water. She is currently working on a novel based on the iconic painting, Christina's World by Andrew Wyeth.

In addition to her five novels, Kline has written and edited five nonfiction books. She commissioned and edited two widely-praised collections of original essays on the first year of parenthood and raising young children, Child of Mine and Room to Grow, and a book on grieving, Always Too Soon. She is the co-editor, with Anne Burt, of a collection of personal essays called About Face: Women Write About What They See When They Look in the Mirror, and is co-author, with her mother, Christina Looper Baker, of a book on feminist mothers and daughters The Conversation Begins. Her essays, articles, and reviews have appeared in The New York Times, the San Francisco Chronicle, Money, More, Psychology Today, among others.

Kline is a graduate of Yale, Cambridge and the University of Virginia, where she was a Henry Hoynes Fellow in Fiction Writing. Kline currently lives in Montclair, New Jersey with her family.

This year, the programs for Booktoberfest will be more technical as we bring you expert advice on homebrewing from the some of the best in the business! Learn how to choose the best ingredients and brewing equipment; investigate different types of hops and the flavors they create; explore how to get your degree in homebrewing, and much more!

If you are serious about homebrewing, or just a big fan of craft brew, you won't want to miss a single Booktoberfest event!

Especially THIS one:

Stop & Taste with The BeervangelistTuesday, October 27, 6:30 pm, CENWith more than two decades in the Michigan brewing industry, Fred Bueltmann, aka "The Beervangelist" will share his perspective and insights on how craft beer has contributed to a connected lifestyle. You'll hear about the history of New Holland Brewing, the Michigan Brewer's Guild and original stories from his book, Beervangelist's Guide to the Galaxy.

All Booktoberfest programs will have giveaways and the opportunity to win an official 2nd Annual Booktoberfest growler!

Featured Booktoberfest BrewsWe couldn't bring back Booktoberfest without beer! Be sure to stop by Tibbs Brewing and One Well Brewing during the month of September and score a discount on this year's Booktoberfest Brews, just by showing your library card!

Tibbs Brewing"Overdue Brew" (Belgian chocolate stout)Save a $1 off of Overdue Brew on Tuesdays and Thursdays during the month of September, just show your KPL card!

One Well Brewing"Literary Liquid" (Double IPA)$1 off first pint of Literary Liquid or $1 off a flight with proof of KPL library card during the month of September

Since 1987, Library Card Sign-up Month has been held each September to mark the beginning of the school year. For students, a library card is essential. A library card provides access to e-books, homework help and a multitude ofonline research tools and resources for their studies.

A library card at KPL also means access to computers and free Internet access. For those without Internet access at home, a library card may mean the difference between failing and having a successful school year.

In honor of Library Card Sign-up Month, the following Kalamazoo businesses and organizations have partnered with KPL and are offering an incentive just for showing your KPL library card during your visit. These offers are only good for the month of September* and your Kalamazoo Public Library card must be presented at time of purchase to receive the offer.

Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra: $5 tickets for students with student ID and KPL card. Tickets must be purchased in person at KSO or Miller Box Offices. Offer good for KSO performances during the month of September, 2015.

Enjoy all the perks your library card has to offer, and be sure to share what your library means to you with your friends, family and colleagues who don't have their own library card. Tell them the true value of libraries and how the library benefits you.

KICtalks (Kalamazoo Innovative Community Talks) are quarterly events featuring three-to-four short presentations on innovative, engaging endeavors followed by an opportunity for formal discussions and networking. Bring your printed info for the literature table. Locally-sourced refreshments will be served.

We know that members of our community are working hard to make Kalamazoo a better place to live and work. That’s why the Kalamazoo Public Library and ONEplace started KICtalks, an event series that spotlights dynamic, innovative endeavors happening right now.

Join us every quarter for three 10-minute talks presented by residents on the ground doing the work. The program is followed by a reception where locally-sourced refreshments will be served.

The August 26 event features four innovative organizations:

Read and Write Kalamazoo will describe how their empathy centers provide a variety of opportunities for children to authentically express themselves. Utilizing small groups and collaborative adult interaction, they develop a culture where voice, perspective, and identity are valued.

Can Kalamazoo become the most physically fit community of its size in the nation? On the Move Kalamazoo believes it can. They will describe common barriers to movement, specific barriers in Kalamazoo, and their vision for getting us fit.

What does it mean to “be from Kalamazoo?” Remi Harrington of the Urban Folk Art Exploratory will share her fascinating story and will inspire all to seek what you need from our amazing community and claim Kalamazoo as your hometown.

When we talk of education, we rarely talk of educating the parents…as teachers of their children. Seeds for Success, a local affiliate of Parents as Teachers, will describe how they collaborate with five area agencies to give kids – and parents – a better chance for success.

We Need Diverse Books

Jul 15, 2015 02:27:03 PM

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Our world is made up of many diverse people. Each with their own story. Sharing these stories, reading these stories, are the best way to remove fear of the unknown, forge understanding and come to appreciate our differences as much as our commonalities. Everyone loves reading stories where they can picture themselves as the main character, yet for too many people, especially children and young adults, characters they can identify with are nearly impossible to find in today's popular publications.

While there is a plethora of diverse writers in the world, getting their work published, recognized, and mass distributed has continued to remain a major constraint. That is why We Need Diverse Books was started. WNDB is a grassroots organization of children's book lovers that advocates essential changes in the publishing industry to produce and promote literature that reflects and honors the lives of all young people.

Like most causes, WNDB started out as a small conversation, and exploded into a national movement.

"In a Twitter exchange on April 17th, 2014, Ellen Oh and Malinda Lo expressed their frustration with the lack of diversity in kidlit. This wasn’t a new conversation for Ellen or Malinda, just the latest, this time in response to the all-white, all-male panel of children’s authors assembled for BookCon’s May 31st reader event. In a series of tweets, Ellen started talking about taking action. Several other authors, bloggers, and industry folks piped up saying they would like to be involved as well. We planned a three-day event for May 1-3 to raise awareness, brainstorm solutions, and take action (Diversify Your Shelves). Aisha Saeed primed the pump on April 24th with the first tweet including the #WeNeedDiverseBooks hashtag. After Aisha’s post, the hashtag started taking off, officially trending for the first time on April 29th, around 9:30 pm EST."

Kalamazoo Public Library is a proud supporter of We Need Diverse Books. On July 11th, KPL hosted a First Saturday event with Educating for Freedom School in Schools. The need for diverse books was a main topic and we invited the participants to take pictures and tell us why they felt "we need diverse books." View those photos here.

Want to share with us why you think we need diverse books? Create your own WNDB sign and share it on Instagram! Be sure to hashtag #kplwndb #weneeddiversebooks and #wndb to see your photo included on our website!

Also be sure to check out the many diverse authors we have coming to KPL this fall, in the next issue of LINK coming at the end of August.

Office Furniture Sale - Oshtemo Branch Library

Jun 17, 2015 01:56:19 PM

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Kalamazoo Public Library is hosting an office furniture and
accessories sale on Monday, June 22 at the Oshtemo Branch Library located at
7265 West Main. Sale includes assorted lateral files, file drawers, 2 door file
cabinets, stacking chairs, office table and assorted other items. The items
purchased must be removed the same day.

Pete the Cat Author, Eric Litwin Coming to KPL

Jun 4/, 2015 04:21:05 PM

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#1 New York Times bestselling author of the first
four Pete the Cat books, Eric Litwin is coming to Kalamazoo Public Library on Thursday, June 11
for two performances at 6 and 7 pm at the Central
Library – 315 South Rose Street.

Mr.
Eric loves to visit communities, and bring his “interactive music and
literacy” to the families at libraries and other family shows! Eric will share
a Pete the Cat story, a Nut Family story and a new
story in the works! Children and parents participate from start to finish.

Space is limited. FREE ticket required.

Tickets available starting June 4 at the Children's Room
desk, Central Library.

One ticket per person.

Every person must have a
ticket. (Yes, even babies.)

Everyone must be seated
15 minutes prior to the start of the program.

Every person must bring
their ticket. Please call the Central Library at 269-553-7804 if you have
any questions.

About Mr. EricEric Litwin (Mr.
Eric) is a guitar strumming, book writing, harmonica blowing, song singing,
folksy, fun type of guy. He is the # 1New York TimesBest Selling author of the first fourPete
the Catpicture books
and the author of the new musical series The
Nuts. Eric’s books have sold over 1.5 million copies, been
translated into seven languages and won 15 state and national awards including
a Theodor Geisel Seuss Honor Award.

He has also recorded award winning music CDs. Eric is a popular performing
artist who plays guitar, sings, tells musical stories and brings books to life.
He is also a nationally respected keynote speaker on interactive literacy and
music. Eric is the co-creator of The Learning Groove which offers parent and
child music classes and preschool music curriculum. Eric likes music, books and
coffee.

Media welcome!
Photo requests should be sent to farrellh@kpl.gov.
For more information visit kpl.gov or call
269-553-7804.

KPL Kick-off Party for 2015 Summer Reading Challenge

Jun 2/, 2015 03:30:15 PM

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June Jubilee is this weekend, and thousands of visitors will
be swarming downtown Chicago for a day of fun! If you are bringing the family
to watch the Do-Dah Parade, be sure to swing by Kalamazoo Public Library
afterwards for their annual kick-off party for the Summer Reading Challenge! The party will
be from 11 am – 2 pm on Saturday, June 6 in the Rose and Lovell parking lot
next to Central Library.

The kick-off party will include inflatables, games and
special guests! While you are there, be sure to sign-up for the 2015 Summer
Reading Challenge. It’s easy, just sign up, read and win terrific prizes!

Other June Jubilee
events:Friday, June 5, 5 pm – 8 pm: Art Hop:
Tintype Photography by Eric HennigSelf-taught photographer Eric Hennig specializes in antique
tintype and ambrotype photographs, a process used during the middle 1800s.
Known in some circles as Victor Vague, Hennig creates gorgeous wet-plate
collodion photographs using 19th century techniques and equipment. His
anachronistic portraits command the viewer’s attention and demand a closer
look, fairly drawing out the very soul of his subjects and creating a haunting
image seemingly transported from another era.

Saturday, June 6, 9 am
– 3:30 pm: Friends
Summer Bag-of-Books Sale10¢ each or a grocery bag full for $2.00! Don’t miss the Friends annual June Jubilee Sidewalk Sale on
the sidewalk outside Central Library. Choose from more than 10,000 books at
just $2.00 a bag or 10¢ a book; fiction, mystery, romance, and more. Kids can
browse carts full of children’s books, too.

For more information about these, and other great summer
programming, visit kpl.gov/summer

Since 1998, Ready to Read has celebrated national Stand for Children Day with a special story hour to focus community attention on the importance of sharing books with young children. Kalamazoo County preschoolers, their parents, teachers, and child care providers are invited to Bronson Park to hear stories read by community leaders and costumed characters. Each child will receive a healthy snack, juice and a gift book courtesy of Kalamazoo Public Library. Please RSVP by calling (269) 553-7873 by May 26.

KICtalks: Spotlighting Local Organizations that are Making a Difference

Apr 20, 2015 12:36:38 PM

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KICtalks (formerly Kalamazoo
Connect) is a program that spotlights local organizations who are making a
difference, or have ideas on how to make a difference, in Kalamazoo. The
program will take place on Wednesday, May 6, 5-6:30 pm at Central Library,
315 South Rose Street.

Are you one of the many area residents who engage
unique, innovative, even wild efforts making Kalamazoo a great place to live
and work? We believe you need a forum to be heard. Kalamazoo Innovative
Community Talks, or KICtalks feature three short presentations on innovative,
engaging endeavors followed by an opportunity for informal discussion and
networking. Locally-sourced refreshments will be served following the
presentations.

Presentations will be given in a TED-talk style.
Presentations must be a minimum of five minutes and cannot exceed ten minutes.
Audio visuals are welcome.

To apply, visit kpl.gov/kictalks today to enter. Deadline for
submission is Monday, April 27 by 5 pm EST. Selected speakers will be
notified by Thursday, April 30.

For a $10 monthly fee, anyone who is not a KPL Resident Area borrow
may purchase a card that will provide access to KPL’s unique digital lab. Cards
are valid for one month from the date of purchase and may be renewed. Purchase
of a Hub Card also enables the user to make a reservation for The Hub.

Hub Cards will be available for purchase beginning April 1
at the Central Library Circulation
Desk (first floor). The card is non-transferable. More information may be found
at kpl.gov/hubcard.

Kalamazoo Public Library launched their digital lab, The Hub
in May of 2014. The Hub offers patrons the opportunity to preserve the past and
create the future by providing hardware and software to digitize and edit
photos and video, preserve old LPs, cassettes or VHS tapes, produce podcasts,
videos, music, animation and so much more! The Hub provides popular software
and hardware necessary for most digital projects. A complete list of services,
hardware and software can be found at kpl.gov/hub.

Sarah Stewart, respected author of The Gardener and The
Money Tree, both illustrated by David Small, will give a writer’s
perspective of preparing your garden in the springtime. Books will be available
for purchase.

Dennis will share his adventures and misadventures while
writing The Living Great Lakes: Searching
for the Heart of the Inland Seas and will discuss the impact of the lakes
on the lives of those of us who live near them. He’ll also talk about the
challenges facing the lakes and some of the steps being taken to meet them.
Michigan News Agency will sell copies of The Living Great Lakes at the event.
Admission is free.

Dennis will also be hosting A Conversation About the Craft
and Business of Writing program at Davenport
University (4123 W. Main St.) on Wednesday, March 4 at 2 pm. He will speak
about his career as a writer and offer tips to aspiring authors.

This Meet the Author event kicks off the start of this
year’s Reading Together Program. A detailed list of programming and events may
be found at www.readingtogether.us.

The Living Great Lakes
is the most complete book ever written about the history, nature and science of
these remarkable lakes at the heart of North America. From the geological
forces that formed them to the industrial atrocities that nearly destroyed them,
to the greatest environmental success stories of our time, the lakes are
portrayed in all their complexity. The book, however, is much more than just
history. It is also the story of the lakes as told by biologists, fishermen,
sailors, and others whom the author grew to know while traveling with them on
boats and hiking with them on beaches and islands.

The book is also a personal journey. It is the narrative of
a six-week voyage through the lakes and beyond as a crewmember on a tallmasted schooner,
and a memoir of a lifetime spent on and near the lakes. Through storms and fog,
on remote shores and city waterfronts, the author explores the five Great Lakes
in all seasons and mods and discovers that they and their connecting
waters—including the Erie Canal, the Hudson River, and the East Coast from New
York to Maine—offer a surprising and bountiful view of America. The result is a
mediation on nature and our place in the world, a discussion and cautionary
tale about the future of water resources, and a celebration of a place that is
both fragile and robust, diverse, rich in history and wildlife, often
misunderstood, and worthy of our attention.

In the nearly 30 years that Jerry Dennis has earned his
living as a freelance writer, he has emerged as one of America’s most
celebrated writers about nature and the outdoors. His essays in such
publications as Audubon, Smithsonian, Orion, and The New York Times
have won many awards and are frequently reprinted and anthologized. His eleven
books, including The Living Great Lakes,
have appeared on national bestseller lists, been translated into five
languages, and are taught in many universities and high schools. Among Jerry’s
awards are the Michigan Author of the Year Award, the Sigurd Olson Nature
Writing Award, Michigan State University’s Great Lakes Culture Award, and four
Best Book of the Year awards from the Outdoor Writers Association of America. Jerry lives with his wife Gail, near Traverse City, MI.

About Reading
Together

The purpose of Reading Together is to build a stronger
community with deeper connections through the common experience of reading the
same book and exploring it’s themes together. When we do that, we engage and
learn, no only about ourselves, but more importantly about each other and the
world around us.

Kalamazoo Public Library leads Reading Together with the
help of many visionary partners. We draw on a diverse cross-section of
individuals and organizations to create a season of programs that highlight
important and relevant themes of the selected book. Our partners craft
opportunities to connect with the book and its themes. A variety of talented
experts freely share personal history, skills and other resources to that
friends, families and other community members may share the experience and
benefits of reading and discussing the same book.

Come see Michigan’s talented
teen directors (aged 12-19) as they make their big screen debut! There will be
drama, action, comedy and more! More than 60 films were submitted to the
Kalamazoo Public Library for consideration. 25 films, varying within 2-10
minutes each will be shown to the public and juried for the following award
categories:

Grand Prize for Best Film ($1,000 B&H Photo Gift
Card)

Best Animation ($50 Best Buy Gift Card)

Best Experimental Film ($50 Best Buy Gift Card)

Best Music Video ($50 Best Buy Gift Card)

Best Short Film ($50 Best Buy Gift Card)

Best Technical Merit ($50 Best Buy Gift Card)

Best Cinematic Merit ($50 Best Buy Gift Card)

Judge’s Choice ($250 B&H Photo Gift Card)

People’s Choice ($50 Best Buy Gift Card)

The following films will be
shown at the festival:

GLP Sendoff by Eric Hyde

Happiness by Caroline Hall & Julia Labodie

It’s Just a
Phase by Nathan Ginter

The Living
Mountain by Griffin Snow

Northern by Jake Lamons

Broken
Headlights by Heather Rolison

The Lonely
Goldfish by Dorian Murphy

The Essence
of the City: Kalamazoo by Matthew
Stanley

Evolution of
a Ballerina by Hannah Lane-Davies

Coming Home by Noah Winne

Ego by Kennedy Shelton

Apparition by Justin Ward

The Winter
(Est-ce que j’ai mentionnée) by Yazmine Vargas

Jack, and the
Meaning of Life by Jack Kison

What If by Meredith Egeler

Persistence
vs Procrastination by Nathan Ginter

Dear Lucy by Heather Rolison

Insanium by Isaiah Terry

Projectio KartoitusT.O. by Thomas Outinen

The Soul of
Bali by Nathan Ginter

White People
Meat by Cruce Grammatico

Chance by Hannah Lane-Davies

Flip by Dorian Murphy

The Wonderful
Wish Granting Cell Phone by Andrew
Sokolowski

Tenebrosi
Somnia by Isaiah Terry

Presented by Master of
Ceremonies Kevin Park, the President of Campaign Pictures and
writer/director/producer of Love Cancer and Shaken
Daddy Syndrome; the films will be juried by the following judges:

James Sanford: Creative
Manager at Alamo Drafthouse Kalamazoo, in charge of specialty film booking,
promotions and marketing.

Jim Middleton: Animator and educator Jim Middleton has also been a practicing
pharmacist in the Kalamazoo-Battle Creek area for over 30 years. He has
created and coordinated arts and film production courses for KCC and KVCC and
sill takes his pharmacy license out for regular walks as director of pharmacy
for Western Michigan University.

Jon Hoadley: Jon Hoadley is Kalamazoo’s freshman state representative and is the CEO
of Badlands Strategies located in Kalamazoo.

Kalamazoo’s Public Media
Network will cover the Teen Filmmaker Festival. PMN will broadcast
entries chosen for the festival, awards presentations, and interviews with the
winners. Check www.publicmedianet.org for broadcast dates and times. DVDs of
festival coverage and interviews will be presented to award winners and
available for purchase.

How Would You Make Kalamazoo a Better Place to Live and Work?

Feb 9/, 2015 02:28:31 PM

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What would YOU do to make Kalamazoo a better
place to live and work? Join us on Wednesday, February 11, 5 pm at Kalamazoo
Public Library, (Central)
to find out what some local people and organizations are doing to make Kzoo
better now! Kalamazoo
Public Library and ONEplace have united to spotlight
dynamic community building efforts in Greater Kalamazoo in a program called Kalamazoo
Connect. Each quarter, Kalamazoo Connect will feature three, short,
TED-talk style presentations on innovative, engaging endeavors followed by an
opportunity for informal discussions and networking. Locally-sourced
refreshments will be served following the presentations.

Kalamazoo
Connect kicks off this Wednesday with the following speakers:

Cathy
PintoAACORN FarmsHear
about AACORN Farms latest programs for adults with autism and their long-term
vision of a residential farming community.

James
MattoxA’s for J’sLearn
how one innovative young man came up with a unique way to get students excited
about school and earning those A’s!

Kyle
BibbyMichigan
Butterflies ProjectThis
is the real “butterfly effect!” Bibby will describe how researchers, land
managers, and backyard enthusiasts are coming together to monitor our
environmental health via the butterfly population.

Kalamazoo Public Library Wants to Know: How Would You Make Kalamazoo Better?

Jan 15, 2015 10:40:45 AM

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Are you one of the many area residents who engage unique,
innovative, even wild efforts to make Kalamazoo a great place to live and work?
Kalamazoo Public Library believes you need a forum to be heard, and have launched
a new program, Kalamazoo Connect.

Kalamazoo Public Library and ONEplace have united to spotlight
dynamic community building efforts in Greater Kalamazoo. Each quarter,
Kalamazoo Connect will feature three short presentations on innovative,
engaging endeavors followed by an opportunity for informal discussions and
networking. Locally-sourced refreshments will be served following the
presentations.

Presentations will be given in a TED-talk style – open-stage
speaking with optional use of notecards. Presentations must be a minimum of 5
minutes and cannot exceed 10 minutes. Audio visuals may be included. (For
examples, visit www.ted.com.)

Here’s how you can tell Kalamazoo about your innovative, community
building efforts.

1. Submit
your entry by emailing your name, phone number, name of organization or
business, and description of talk (approximately 100 words) to ONEplace@kpl.gov.
Entries are due by 5pm on Friday, January 23.

2.Applicants
will be notified by Tuesday, January 27.

3.Participate
in a rehearsal of your talk during the week of Feb 2 (by appointment).

4.Accepted
applicants must attend and speak at the Kalamazoo Connect event on Wednesday,
February 11, 5-6:30 pm.

If you have any questions, please contact ONEplace 269-553-7910
or ONEplace@kpl.gov.

Three expert judges will award prizes for best film, best animation,
best experimental film, best documentary, best short film (under three
minutes), best technical merit, best music video and judge’s choice.

A jury will screen every film entered and select finalists
for screening at the Festival. Filmmakers will be notified if their film is
selected by the week of February 1. Not every film submitted to the Festival
will be selected for screening at the public event.

Official RulesFilms must be produced by teens, ages 12-19, who reside in
the state of Michigan. More than one teen may work on a film. Adults may be
talent in a film, but should perform no other duty in the actual creation of
the film. Films may not be more than 10 minutes long. Teens may submit
more than one film. Films submitted to the festival will not be returned.

A panel of judges will select the winners in each category
except the People’s Choice Award, which will be chosen at the Teen Filmmaker
Festival by the audience members.

Format RequirementsFilms should be submitted as full-quality Quicktime/MOV
files on USB flash drive. DVDs may be submitted instead, but USB drives are
preferred. All other formats, (including VHS, Windows Media Files, low-quality
Quicktime files, etc.) will be automatically disqualified. If submitting on
DVD, entries must be formatted for Region 1 (North America) and labeled with
the film’s title, running time and director(s) name(s). Please double-check
that your DVD plays in its entirety on standard consumer DVD players.

The First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution guarantees your right to decide for yourself what to read, listen to, or view. Banned Books Week, observed since 1982, reminds Americans not to take this precious right for granted. Celebrate your intellectual freedom with the American Civil Liberties Union and the Kalamazoo Public Library. Local celebrities will read from frequently challenged books.

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins – read by Elizabeth Kerlikowske (Poet/College Professor)

Looking for Alaska by John Green – read by Kevin King, (Kalamazoo Public Library)

A Bad Boy Can Be Good For a Girl by Tanya Lee Stone – read by Glynis Fenn (Radio Theatre/Civic Theatre)

Readings will be approximately six minutes each.

Comics and graphic novels are the focus of this year’s Banned Books Week, and in honor of that focus, KPL will host local comic artists and author wife-husband team Jane Irwin and Paul Sizer who will display their work during the Read-Out. Autographed posters designed by Paul Sizer will be available for guests of the Read-Out.

Banned Books Week is an annual event celebrating the freedom to read. Held during the last week of September, it highlights the value of free and open access to information. Banned Books Week brings together the entire book community --librarians, booksellers, publishers, journalists, teachers, and readers of all types -- in shared support of the freedom to seek and to express ideas, even those some consider unorthodox or unpopular. To see the list of 2013’s top 10 most challenged titles, click here.

KPL Combines Books & Brew with Booktoberfest!

Aug 29, 2014 12:16:17 PM

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Kalamazoo shook up the beer world by winning second place in the Beer City, USA competition in 2013. With several new breweries joining well-loved establishments like Bell’s in the last year, it’s clear that Kalamazoo loves its brew! Based on Kalamazoo Public Library’s 2013 record-breaking circulation numbers, Kalamazoo also loves books! So, KPL decided to combine the two for the first annual Booktoberfest!

Join us for several hop-tastic events with some of your favorite breweries including: Bell’s Brewery, Arcadia Ales, Tibbs Brewing, Bilbo’s Pizza, Gonzo’s BiggDogg Brewery, and more! Learn about the history of brewing in Kalamazoo. Find out what it takes to cultivate your own beer with some of Kalamazoo’s brewers, and join us for lively discussion of two books that you can enjoy with a great local beer!

Booktoberfest Events

Tuesday, September 16, 7 pm @Central Library, The Brew from Kalamazoo: Kalamazoo’s thriving local brewing trade is rooted in traditions that date back to the earliest decades of the 19th century. From ‘Old Joe’ and Dorothy Burchnall to George Judge’s Kalamazoo Malt House and George Neumaier’s Cold Stream Brewery, we will explore the history of local brewing from its humble beginnings in the 1830s until Kalamazoo went “dry” in 1915. Plus, the Kalamazoo Antique Bottle Club will be on hand with a display of early Kalamazoo bottles and collectible glassware.

Wednesday, September 24, 7 pm @Central Library, Home Brewing with Bell’s Brewery:Bell’s Brewery crafts some of the most loved beers in the world. David Curtis, manager of Bell’s General Store, is actively involved with the KLOB (Kalamazoo Libation Organization of Brewers), and is an award-winning home brewer. Learn how to brew your own beer at home the Bell’s way. Whether you have brewed a few beers, or are a novice, participants will hear tricks and secrets to help your next batch.

Tuesday, September 30, 7 pm @Alamo Drafthouse Cinema, Screening of The Michigan Beer Film: Filmed by Kalamazoo’s Rhino Media, The Michigan Beer Film is a documentary about the amazing craft brew scene in the Great Lakes State. Watch not only the process of beer making, but also the great stories behind the brewmasters. Discover why Michigan is quickly becoming a beer lover’s destination. This is a free event. Space is limited and tickets are required. Free tickets will be available at Central Library two weeks prior to the event.

Wednesday, October 1, 7 pm @Central Library, Beer and Food Pairings with Gonzo’s BiggDogg Brewery: We all know that beer is a great complement to most meals, but do you know which brews go best with certain foods? Discover the most fabulous beer/food pairings from the team at Gonzo’s BiggDogg Brewery. Greg “Gonzo” Haner and Brian Hill opened Kalamazoo’s newest brew pub in 2013. Gonzo is considered one of Kalamazoo’s original brewers.

Tuesday, October 21, 6 pm @Eastwood Branch Library, Meet the Brewmasters with Arcadia Ales:Arcadia Brewing Company was established in 1996 as a microbrewery specializing in handcrafted, British-style ales. Their methods originated in England, which allows this style of beer to reflect over 250 years of world-class brewing heritage. This year, Arcadia opened a new facility in the River’s Edge area of Kalamazoo, which is, ironically, the exact spot where Kalamazoo’s most famous distillery once stood, more than 150 years ago. Learn not only about their unique brewing methods, but also the story of the brewery.

Tuesday, October 28, 6 pm @Washington Square Branch Library, Local Brewery Panel Discussion: This year Kalamazoo was named by U.S. News & World Report one of the most underrated beer cities in the country. Hear the stories of four of Kalamazoo’s best breweries in a discussion moderated by MLive’s John Liberty and West Michigan Beer Tours. Learn what it takes to open and operate a brewery in one of the fastest growing beer cities in Michigan. Sponsored by West Michigan Beer Tours.

Booktoberfest Book Discussions

Monday, October 6, 6 pm @Bilbo’s Pizza, Round Ireland with a Fridge by Tony Hawks: A hilarious travel adventure in the tradition of Bill Bryson with a dash of Dave Barry, and an international bestseller. Tony Hawks's ready sense of the absurd, his self-deprecatory charm, and his warm appreciation of the Irish and their traditionally immoderate characteristics combine to make this a resoundingly good read, offering a tantalizing glimpse of grassroots Ireland captured in a wonderful blend of perception and humor.

Tuesday, October 14, 6 pm @Arcadia Ales, The Yellow Birds by Kevin Powers: A novel written by a veteran of the war in Iraq, The Yellow Birds is the harrowing story of two young soldiers trying to stay alive. With profound emotional insight, especially into the effects of a hidden war on mothers and families at home, The Yellow Birds is a groundbreaking novel that is destined to become a classic.

Booktoberfest Brews

Enjoy two new local beers brewed specially for KPL’s Booktoberfest!

Tibbs Brewing: “Overdue Brew” Belgian chocolate stout: All beer on Thursday’s during the month of September will be $1 off when patrons show their KPL library card.

Bilbo’s Pizza & Brewing Company: “Legend of Pumpkin Hollow” pumpkin ale: $1 off a pint of Legend of Pumpkin Hollow during the month of October for patrons who show their KPL library card.

September is National Library Card Sign-up Month! Get Carded.

Aug 29, 2014 12:11:14 PM

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September is National Library Card Sign-up Month. Kalamazoo Public
Library is celebrating this event with their Get Carded
campaign. In honor of National Library Card Sign-up Month, the following
Kalamazoo businesses and organizations have partnered with KPL by offering an
incentive just for showing your KPL library card during your visit in the month
of September.

A library card
at KPL also means access to computers and free Internet access. For those
without Internet access at home, a library card may mean the difference between
failing and having a successful school year.

Enjoy all the
perks your library card has to offer, and be sure to share what your library
means to you with your friends, family and colleagues who don’t have their own
library card. Tell them the true value of
libraries, and how the library benefits you.

If you don’t
have a library card, what are you waiting for? Get signed up today!

David Small is the Caldecott Medal-winning illustrator of
more than fifty picture books, among them So, You Want to Be President?, Imogene's
Antlers, and several written by his wife Sarah Stewart, including The
Gardener, The Library, and TheFriend.
He is also the creator of National Book Award Finalist and New York
Times Bestselling Graphic Memoir Stitches.

Hallie Durand is the author of six books for children, including the Dessert
First trilogy, Mitchell's License and Mitchell
Goes Bowling, and now - along with David - CATCH THAT COOKIE!, a
romp of a picture book that stars preschooler Marshall, as he is transformed
from a skeptic to a believer in magic, with the help of a cast of gingerbread
men, new for this holiday season.

Hallie Durand is the pen name for Holly McGhee, the celebrated founder of
Pippin Properties, Inc, a boutique literary agency in New York City. Clients
include David Small and his wife Sarah Stewart, National Ambassador for
children's literature and 2014 Newberry Medalist Kate DiCamillo, 2013 Newberry
Medalist Katherine Applegate, 2013 National Book Award Finalists Kathi Appelt
and Adrian Matejka, Jandy Nelson, David Ezra Stein, Jon Agee, Dorreen Cronin,
Betsy Lewin, Kate & Jim McMullan and the late William Steig. She and David
have worked and laughed together for the past fifteen years, and now have a
collaboration of their own.

Come meet David, Hallie / Holly, and Sarah. David and Holly will talk about
their creative partnership as artist and agent and about their journey together
over the past decade. A one-of-a-kind opportunity to ask them questions and
talk to them candidly about the publishing experience.

KPL Hosts Workshops Designed for Toddlers and Their Caregivers

Aug 14, 2014 03:41:03 PM

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Kalamazoo Public Library announces two new 1,2,3 Play With Me, A Parent/Child Workshop for the fall! Spend time
together, play, make friends and talk one-on-one with specialists on child
development during this enjoyable, five-week workshop.
These workshops are designed for children ages 1-3 years and their parents and
caregivers. Siblings may attend with a registered toddler.

1,2,3 Play With Me: A Parent/Child Workshop is part of
Kalamazoo Public Library’s commitment to being a Family Place Library. A Family
Place Library expands on the traditional role of children’s services, and
builds on the knowledge that good health, early learning, parental involvement
and supportive communities play a critical role in young children’s growth and
development. Family Place Libraries™ is a network of children’s
librarians nationwide who believe that literacy begins at birth, and that
libraries can help build healthy communities by nourishing healthy families.
The Family Place Libraries network currently includes more than 300 sites in 23
states and continues to grow. More information can be found at http://www.familyplacelibraries.org/.

To view how a Parent/Child Workshop help grow toddler’s
brains while teaching parents and caregivers the vital importance of play for
their child’s healthy development, click here.

Family Place Libraries are committed to developing a
family-centered approach to library services. Kalamazoo Public Library was
recently selected to join more than 300 libraries in 23 states,
which are committed to serving families with children from birth to age 5.
Funding is provided in part by a special Family Place grant through the Institute
for Museum and Library Services.

Kalamazoo Public Library Board of Trustees Election are November 4, 2014

Jul 7/, 2014 11:22:40 AM

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Elections for Kalamazoo Public Library board of trustees
will be held Tuesday, November 4, 2014. Petitions and information may be picked
up at the administrative office on the third floor of the downtown library at
315 S. Rose Street or at the City of Kalamazoo clerk’s office at 241 W. South
Street, room 104.

The Kalamazoo Public Library’s administrative office is open
Monday – Friday, 9 am – 5 pm. The city clerk’s office is open Monday – Friday,
8 am – 5 pm. Petitions must be signed by 40-100 registered voters living within
the library’s district.
Valid petitions must be turned in by August 12, 2014.

Three seats will be available to the library’s board of
trustees. Each vacancy is a four-year term expiring December 31, 2018. For more
information, visit www.kpl.gov/board, call Elysha Cloyd,
Executive Assistant at 269-553-7886, or call the City of Kalamazoo clerk’s
office at 269-337-8792.

Michigan Library User MeL Survey

Jul 3/, 2014 03:43:43 PM

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As part of managing the Library of Michigan’s Library Services & Technology Act funds as well as maintaining and improving the Michigan eLibrary, the Library of Michigan is surveying library staff and library users.

If you use MeLCat or other Michigan eLibrary (MeL) services, please help the library learn how to improve MeL by responding the library user survey. The survey runs through July 4th.

Since 1998, Ready to Read has celebrated national Stand for Children Day with a special story hour to focus community attention on the importance of sharing books with young children.

Kalamazoo County preschoolers, their parents, teachers, and child care providers are invited to Bronson Park to hear stories read by community leaders and costumed characters. Each child will receive a healthy snack, juice and a gift book courtesy of Kalamazoo Public Library.

The Hub: KPL’s New Digital Lab

May 15, 2014 12:49:31 PM

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Kalamazoo Public Library is proud to announce the opening of our latest service to patrons, The Hub, KPL’s new digital lab! The Hub offers patrons the opportunity to preserve the past and create the future by providing hardware and software to digitize and edit photos and video, preserve old LPs, cassettes or VHS tapes, produce podcasts, videos, music, animation and so much more! The Hub provides popular software and hardware necessary for most digital projects. A complete list of services, hardware and software can be found at kpl.gov/hub.

Grand Opening Ceremony

The public is invited to attend the opening ceremony of The Hub. There will be a ribbon cutting, tour and cake.

“Kalamazoo Public Library recognizes that we live in a digital world,” said Kevin King, Head, Branch and IT Services. “Digital literacy is critical to the success of the citizens of our community. Providing our patrons free, equal access to the latest technology and software is a top priority for KPL.”

The addition of The Hub is also a key extended service of KPL’s Local History department. A large majority of KPL’s patrons utilize the services of Local History to research their family tree, find historic photos of Kalamazoo and locate old records or articles. The Hub will provide these patrons the opportunity to preserve their past by digitizing old photos, slides, and videos so that they may be shared with others via current technology.

The Hub is open Tuesdays, 3 - 8 pm and Thursdays, 10 am - 3 pm. Walk-ins are welcome but reservations are suggested. KPL patrons may reserve a station at kpl.gov/hub. Trained staff will be on-hand to assist patrons.

The Hub is a service for Resident KPL borrowers only.

Funding for The Hub was allocated from the library’s endowment fund, several gifts to the library including the generous support of Major General and Mrs. John S. Patton, through the Clarence L. Miller Local History Fund; and the library’s capital budget.

Kalamazoo Loves Its Public Library

Apr 25, 2014 12:56:42 PM

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KPL Celebrates National Library Week, and Another Successful Year of Serving Kalamazoo.

Americans love their public libraries. In fact, according to a 2013 PEW Internet study, public libraries received a 94% approval rating by the American public. Further analysis done for an article in The Atlantic revealed that Americans love public libraries even more than apple pie (94% vs 81%) and baseball (94% vs 67%)!

April 13-19 was National Library Week. First sponsored in 1958, National Library Week is a time to celebrate the contributions of our nation’s libraries and librarians and to promote library use and support. All libraries, academic, public and special participate. Kalamazoo Public Library celebrated by sharing a behind-the-scenes look at library operations with our second annual Library Snapshot Day on Tuesday, April 15. To view the photos, visit our album here.

As our fiscal year (July 1 – June 30th) nears the end, KPL would like to reflect on another successful year of serving Kalamazoo with some fun statistics.

So how does KPL stack up against other public libraries in Michigan?

The following statistics may be found in 2012-2013 Michigan Library Statistics, produced by Library of Michigan. For this report, data for 44 Class VI libraries in Michigan, including KPL are represented.

Kalamazoo Public Library

Class VI* Michigan Public Libraries

KPL Service Population: 123,979

VS

Service Population Average: 130,279

KPL Circulation: 1,682,620

Average Circulation: 1,295,392

*serves more than 50,000

Per capita, KPL circulates 13.57 compared to the state average of 9.94 and KPL’s materials turnover rate is 4.22 compared to the state average of 2.59.

Compared with other Class VI libraries in Michigan, KPL ranked:

#5 for reference transactions

#6 for collection expenditures per capita

#8 for total collection expenditures

#9 for program attendance

#10 for number of registered borrowers

#10 for circulation per capita

#11 for total circulation

#11 for most internet sessions

#15 for largest population served in the state of Michigan

Other KPL Fun Facts*

As of today, April 25, 2014 KPL has 49,817 items checked out (includes books and audio/visual materials).

KPL has 27 salaried staff members with their MLS/MLIS (Master of Library Science/Master of Library and Information Science).

More than 1 million people visit KPL annually. That’s enough people to fill Waldo Stadium more than 33 times.

Kzoo residents love to read as much as they love their local beer. In March, 2014, more than 37,481 adult books were checked out from KPL. That is 1,292 books per day. In comparison, Bell’s Eccentric Café serves about 1,232 pints of beer per day, on average.

In 2013, KPL experienced a more than 35% increase in ebook downloads over the previous year.

In 2013, 8,695 KPL patrons utilized our ancestry.com database to research their family tree. These users performed 497,261 unique searches, making it KPL’s most popular database.

Library Snapshot Day - April 15

Apr 9/, 2014 09:59:19 AM

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Did you know that libraries are better than Congress, baseball and apple pie? It’s true, according to a 2013 Pew Internet study, public libraries received a 94% approval rating by the American public. Further analysis done for an article in The Atlantic compared this rating to apple pie (81%), baseball (67%) and Congress, (12%). Celebrate National Library Week and your Kalamazoo Public Library on Tuesday, April 15th by participating in Library Snapshot Day!

Think libraries are a thing of the past? Guess again…according to the Pew study, not only do American’s love libraries, but the majority feel they’re adjusting to new technology just fine. In fact, 94% of Americans say that having a public library improves a community and that the local library is a “welcoming, friendly place.” Libraries remain a vital necessity to communities, 81% say that public libraries provide many services people would have a hard time finding elsewhere! Count Kalamazoo residents among the majority. They are included in the more than 1 million people who visit Kalamazoo Public Library annually, according to a Downtown Kalamazoo, Inc. study done in 2010.

April 13-19 is National Library Week. Celebrate by getting a behind-the scenes look at your Kalamazoo Public Library during our second annual Library Snapshot Day, Tuesday, April 15! All day long, KPL staff will take candid photos of all the behind-the-scenes activities at all five of our locations. We will also be sharing statistics, like how many people visit in a single day, how many digital downloads from home, how many items checked out, the number of questions answered by library staff and more! You can follow the day’s activities on Flickr, Facebook and Twitter and the KPL website homepage.

Join in the fun! Share a photo of you using the library on April 15 on Facebook or Twitter, and use the hashtag #kplsnapshot. Tell everyone how much you love your local library!

Novella Carpenter Brings Urban Farming to Kalamazoo

Apr 2/, 2014 04:18:54 PM

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Farming is not the typical occupation for most urbanites – unless you’re Novella Carpenter! Hear how she converted her ramshackle, weed-choked backyard in inner-city Oakland into an efficient farm complete with veggies, turkeys, ducks and pigs. Her memoir, Farm City: The Education of an Urban Farmer is a true-life testament to the possibilities of a self-sustaining lifestyle.

Novella will speak about her best-selling novel, Farm City: The Education of an Urban Farmer and answer questions from the audience. The event will be followed by a book signing. Michigan News Agency will sell copies of Farm City at the event.

Novella Carpenter studied under Michael Pollan at UC Berkeley’s Graduate School of Journalism, and now teaches at University of San Francisco. A popular speaker, she has traveled all over the country sharing her experiences raising chickens, turkeys, pigs, goats, and bees in the lovable, but gritty city of Oakland, CA. Her new book, Gone Feral, will be published by The Penguin Press in June, 2014.

This Meet the Author event concludes the 2014 Reading Together program. Reading Together is a community-wide book club led by Kalamazoo Public Library. For more information, visit readingtogether.us.

Genealogy Lock-In: Friday, April 11, 6-10 pm, Central Location: An after-hours event for genealogists. Research in the newly expanded Local History Room. Take advantage of free copying and printing. Registration begins March 24, call 553-7808 or register online.

2014 Reading Together Events: Reading Together is a county-wide book club led by Kalamazoo Public Library. For more information and events, visit readingtogether.us.

Food Security or Food Justice: Does it Really Matter?: With Karika Phillips, Kalamazoo County Center for Health Equity - Thursday, April 3, 7 pm, Bronson Gilmore Center for Health Education, 7 Healthcare Plaza: Learn about the difference between “disparity” and “inequity” for food security and critically examine and evaluate the social determinants of health.

Farmers Market 101: Tuesday, April 8, 7 pm, Central Location: Learn the history of farmer’s markets and what the future holds for them.

Capoiera with CDO, West Michigan: Tuesday, April 8, 6:30 pm, Powell Branch: Capoiera is an Afro-Brazillian art form that includes martial arts, dance and acrobats. With Cordao De Ouro West Michigan. Space is limited. Free ticket required.

2014 Reading Together Author, Tracie McMillan Comes to Kalamazoo

Feb 26, 2014 03:15:49 PM

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Kalamazoo Public Library is proud to bring 2014 Reading Together author, Tracie McMillan to Kalamazoo to discuss her best-selling novel: The American Way of Eating: Undercover at Walmart, Applebee’s, Farm Fields and the Dinner Table. Tracie will speak at Kalamazoo Central High School’s Auditorium on Wednesday, March 5 at 7 pm. This event is free. Seating is limited.

Michigan News Agency will sell copies of The American Way of Eating at the event. McMillan will sign books after the presentation.

Award-winning journalist and Michigan native Tracie McMillan will share her experiences in California farm fields, the produce aisle of a Detroit Walmart, and the kitchen of a New York City Applebee’s on her path to discovering the origins of the food on our plates.

From McMillan’s website: McMillan mixes immersive reporting, undercover investigative techniques and “moving first-person narrative” (Wall Street Journal), McMillan’s book argues for thinking of fresh, healthy food as a public and social good—a stance that inspired The New York Times to call her “a voice the food world needs” and Rush Limbaugh to single her out as an “overeducated” “authorette” and “threat to liberty.” In 2012, Whole Living magazine named her a “Food Visionary,” building on her numerous appearances on radio and television programs, which range from the liberal “The Rachel Maddow Show” to the “tea-party favorite” Peter Schiff Show. She has written about food and class for a variety of publications, including The New York Times, the Washington Post, O, The Oprah Magazine, Harper’s Magazine, Saveur, and Slate.

Kalamazoo Public Library Announces the Winners of the 11 Annual Teen Filmmaker Festival

Feb 26, 2014 02:20:53 PM

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Kalamazoo Public Library wishes to congratulate the winners of the 11th Annual Teen Filmmaker Festival, which took place at the State Theatre, on Sunday, February 23. The Teen Filmmaker Festival presents the best teen-produced and directed films of 2014. Nearly one hundred films were submitted from teens, ages 12-19 from across Michigan, with the highest concentration of them coming from Kalamazoo County. This also marks the first year that films submitted from female directors outnumbered male directors. More than 400 people came to the State Theatre to view the films and vote for their favorites.

Three expert judges awarded prizes for best film, best animation, best experimental film, best documentary, best short film (under three minutes), best technical merit, best music video, and judges’ choice. Audience members voted for a people’s choice award.

2014 Finalists: The following are the official selections for the 2014 Teen Filmmaker Festival

Gull Lake Winter2013 Jake Lamons

The Home of Magic Nathan Ginter

Title Here Madelyn Momano

SpunCassie Ward, Hunter Thomas, Emily Suzor, and Maureen Reed

Proper Pets Alec Elzinga

The Robbery Ryan Bare

Interview with a Serial Killer Kyle Misak

Fireworks Alexi Mitchell

Love is Garbage Kaitlyn Ludeker

A Chronicle of Western Swordsmanship Austin Patrie

Seabiscuit Claire Abdo

Home Alone Betsy Eaton

Far Beyond the Reservoir Jonathan D'Ambrosio

A Tale of Two Sisters Remearis Brown

Macho Banana Stephen Hull

Mutts of Motown Emily Livermore

Out of the Frying PanLuke Spangler

Move Along Music Video Regan Tyre

The Worst Christmas Nathan Ginter

Running Cameron Sleeper

Almond Eyes Samuel Peters, Jake Lamons

Wake Me UpHannah Grabowski

Eros and Psyche Haley Labian

The Butterfly Effect Yazmine Vargas

Kalamazoo’s Public Media Network recorded the Teen Filmmaker Festival. PMN will broadcast entries chosen for the festival, awards presentations, and interviews with the winners. Check http://www.publicmedianet.org for broadcast dates and times. The films will also be available for viewing on KPL’s website.

Come see Michigan’s talented teen directors (aged 12-19) as they make their big screen debut! There will be drama, action, comedy and more! Nearly 100 films were submitted to the Kalamazoo Public Library for consideration. 24 films, varying within 2-10 minutes each will be shown to the public and juried for the following Award Categories:

Grand Prize for Best Film (will win a $1,000 B&H Photo Gift Card)

Best Animation (will win a $50 Best Buy Gift Card)

Best Experimental Film (will win a $50 Best Buy Gift Card)

Best Music Video (will win a $50 Best Buy Gift Card)

Best Short Film (will win a $50 Best Buy Gift Card)

Best Technical Merit (will win a $50 Best Buy Gift Card)

Best Cinematic Merit (will win a $50 Best Buy Gift Card)

Judge’s Choice (will win a $250 B&H Photo Gift Card)

People’s Choice (will win a $50 Best Buy Gift Card)

The following films will be shown at the festival:

Gull Lake Winter2013 by Jake Lamons

The Home of Magic by Nathan Ginter

Title Here by Madelyn Momano

Spun by Cassie Ward, Hunter Thomas, Emily Suzor, and Maureen Reed

Proper Pets by Alec Elzinga

The Robbery by Ryan Bare

Interview with a Serial Killer by Kyle Misak

Fireworks by Alexi Mitchell

Love is Garbage by Kaitlyn Ludeker

A Chronicle of Western Swordsmanship by Austin Patrie

Seabiscuit by Claire Abdo

Home Alone by Betsy Eaton

Far Beyond the Reservoir by Jonathan D'Ambrosio

A Tale of Two Sisters by Remearis Brown

Macho Banana by Stephen Hull

Mutts of Motown by Emily Livermore

Out of the Frying Pan by Luke Spangler

Move Along Music Video by Regan Tyre

The Worst Christmas by Nathan Ginter

Running by Cameron Sleeper

Almond Eyes by Samuel Peters, Jake Lamons

Wake Me Up by Hannah Grabowski

Eros and Psyche by Haley Labian

The Butterfly Effect by Yazmine Vargas

Presented by Master of Ceremonies Kevin Park, the President of Campaign Pictures and writer/director/producer of Love Cancer and Shaken Daddy Syndrome; the films will be juried by the following judges:

James Sanford: Creative Manager at Alamo Drafthouse Kalamazoo, in charge of specialty film booking, promotions and marketingBannon Backhus: Writer, director and producer of Abduction Day, an independent film combining elements of science-fiction, horror and comedy that was completed in 2013James Watkins: James W. Watkins: Painter/Illustrator and board member of the Kalamazoo Film Society

Tickets are free and will be available at the State Theatre on February 23 (the day of the festival.) For more information visit www.kpl.gov/teenfilmfest or call the State Theatre at 345-6500.

Kalamazoo’s Public Media Network will cover the Teen Filmmaker Festival. PMN will broadcast entries chosen for the festival, awards presentations, and interviews with the winners. Check www.publicmedianet.org for broadcast dates and times. DVDs of festival coverage and interviews will be presented to award winners and available for purchase.

Kalamazoo Public Library Launches 1,000 Books Before Kindergarten

Feb 10, 2014 11:37:25 AM

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Learning to read begins long before a child starts kindergarten. Reading to your children is the best way to prepare them for school and beyond. Kalamazoo Public Library launched a new program geared towards children ages birth through just entering kindergarten: 1,000 Books Before Kindergarten.

Child experts agree that reading to your child starting at birth dramatically increases their vocabulary and cognitive growth, and sets them on a solid path of lifelong literacy. Early literacy is key to a successful future. The goal of this program is to share 1,000 books with your child during their early years. Sharing a book includes reading, singing, or even just talking about the pictures in a book with your child. Any child from birth to entering kindergarten can participate in this self-paced, early literacy program.

To get started, sign up at any KPL location and receive your first 1,000 Books reading log, or you can download one at www.kpl.gov/1000books. Record each book that you share on the log. For every 50 books read, bring the completed reading log to any KPL location to collect a prize. When 1,000 books recorded is reached, participants will receive a gift from the library and a certificate of completion in the program.

A Kalamazoo Public Library card is not required to participate in this program. However, if participants wish to check out reading materials from a KPL location, they will need to sign up for a KPL card.

For more information, please visit www.kpl.gov/1000books. 1,000 Books Before Kindergarten is sponsored by an Early Childhood Reading grant from Target.

KPL card holders can download the free hoopla digital mobile app on their Android or IOS device or visit hoopladigital.com to begin enjoying thousands of titles – from major Hollywood studios and publishers – available to borrow for instant streaming or temporary downloading to their smartphones, tablets, computers and Apple TV.

“We’re always exploring new services that foster reading for our patrons, while providing on-the-go access to the library’s information,” said Michael Cockrell, Head of Adult Services Department at Kalamazoo Public Library. “With hoopla digital, content ranges from entertainment to educational, so there’s something for everyone. Patrons only need a library card to get started and all content is free of charge. It’s also digital so there is no waiting period for popular titles and hoopla’s automatic return means no late fees.”

“With hoopla digital, it is our mission to help public libraries meet the needs of the mobile generation. We’ve worked for years to create a best-in-breed service that is fun, fast and reliable. And we continue to secure content deals to expand the offering of movies, TV shows, music and audiobooks,” said Jeff Jankowski founder and owner of hoopla digital.

About hoopla digitalhoopla digital is category-creating service that partners with public libraries across North America to provide online and mobile access to thousands of movies, TV shows, videos, music and audiobooks. With hoopla digital, patrons can borrow, instantly stream and download free dynamic content with a valid library card. All content is accessible via hoopla digital’s mobile app and online at www.hoopladigital.com. hoopla digital is a service of Midwest Tape – a trusted partner to public libraries for over 20 years.

To learn more or for more information about hoopla, please contact 800-875-2785 (US) or 866-698-2231 (Canada). For questions regarding hoopla at KPL, call (269) 553-7879.

Help us reduce theft

Nov 22, 2013 04:56:40 PM

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Looking for that new release in movies or music? KPL wants to make sure you have access to it. Beginning on Friday, November 22, all movies and music must be checked out in the Audio Visual department (AV) located on the lower level.

If you have placed a hold on movies or music, you will now find them in AV and will be required to check them out there.

Protect your investment in your library by helping us protect our collection. Please check out all movies and music in AV.

Condie is the author of the Matched Trilogy, which includes Matched, Crossed and Reached. Matched was chosen as one of YALSA’s (Young Adult Library Services Association) 2011 Teens’ Top Ten, named as Publisher’s Weekly’s Best Children’s books of 2010, selected as the #1 Pick on the Winter Kids’ Indie Next List and received starred reviews from Kirkus and Publisher’s Weekly. The sequels, Crossed and Reached, were also critically acclaimed. All three books are available in 30+ languages and Disney has optioned the film rights for the series.

Meet Condie, hear excerpts from her trilogy and get your copy signed. Bookbug, a local, independent bookstore, will be selling books for signing. Refreshments included.

A former English teacher, Ally Condie lives with her husband and four children outside of Salt Lake City, Utah. She loves reading, writing, running, and listening to her husband play guitar.

Oct 25, 2013 04:29:46 PM

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Friday, October 25, 2013. Calling all Michigan teens ages 12 -19! Are you the next Judd Apatow, Sofia Coppola, Spike Lee or Sam Rami? Enter your films in the 11th Annual Teen Filmmaker Festival, the best film festival for teens in Michigan! Expert judges will award prizes for the best films in nine categories: Best Animation, Best Experimental Film, Best Music Video, Best Short Film, Best Technical Merit, Best Cinematic Merit, Judge’s Choice, People’s Choice and Grand Prize for Best Film. People’s Choice will be chosen at the Teen Filmmaker Festival by the audience members.

The 2014 Teen Filmmaker Festival will be held on Sunday, February 23, 2:30 pm at the State Theatre in Kalamazoo. To view last year’s winning videos, click here.

Official RulesFilms must be produced by teens, ages 12-19 who reside in the state of Michigan. More than one teen may work on a film. Adults may be talent in a film, but should not perform any other duty in the actual creation of the film. Films may not be longer than 10 minutes. No bloopers please. Teens may submit more than one film, an entry form is required for each film submitted. Films submitted to the festival will not be returned. Forms may be downloaded from www.kpl.gov/teenfilmfest. All films must be submitted to Teen Services, Kalamazoo Public Library, 315 S. Rose Street, 49007 by 5 pm, Saturday, January 18, 2014.

Format RequirementsFilms should be submitted as full-quality Quicktime/MOV files on USB flash drive. DVDs may be submitted instead, but USB drives are preferred. All other formats, (including VHS, Windows Media files, low-quality QuickTime files, etc.) will be automatically disqualified. If submitting on DVD, entries must be formatted for NTSC Region 1 (North America) and labeled with the film’s title, running time, and director(s) name(s). Please double-check that your DVD plays your entire film on standard consumer DVD players.

Timeline

• Films due by 5 pm, Saturday, January 18, 2014: A jury will review every film entered and select festival finalists. Not every film submitted will be selected for screening at the festival. Entries must be postmarked by Saturday, January 18.

• Email Notification by Monday, February 3, 2014: Filmmakers will be notified if their film has been selected by email. Titles of selected films will also be posted to the Facebook page, www.facebook.com/teenfilmfest.

• Teen Filmmaker Festival is on Sunday, February 23, 2:30 pm: Festival finalists will be screened at The State Theatre.

For legal disclaimers and more information about the 2014 Teen Filmmaker Festival, visit www.kpl.gov/teenfilmfest or call (269) 553-7807 or (269) 349-7775 ext. 3162.

This fall’s Music & Make Believe is based on David McPhail’s Mole Music, a story about a mole who feels something is missing from his life until he learns how to play the violin. Kalamazoo Public Library librarians will read Mole Music and follow the storytime with a craft activity. Kalamazoo Symphony String Quartet will also perform a program based on the story and activity.

Kalamazoo Public Library Celebrates Teen Read Week with a Read-a-Thon!

Oct 15, 2013 01:20:51 PM

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Kalamazoo, MI – Thursday, October 10, 2013. Calling all Teens! Join us at Kalamazoo Public Library Central Location, 315 South Rose Street in downtown Kalamazoo, on Saturday, October 19 for a Read-a-Thon!

Celebrate Teen Read Week (October 13-19) by reading for the fun of it and for the philanthropy of it! Teen Services will host a five-hour Read-a-Thon to benefit Kalamazoo Area Loaves and Fishes! Pick up a registration form at the Teen Desk, gather pledges of non-perishable food items and read all day (10 am – 3 pm). Donations need to be turned in by November 1. Snacks, prizes, game breaks and lunch provided! No registration or tickets required. Teens do not have to be residents or have a KPL library card to participate in this program. For more information, call 269-553-7807.

Teen Read Week™ is a national adolescent literacy initiative created by the Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA). It began in 1998 and is held annually during the third week of October. Its purpose is to encourage teens to be regular readers and library users.

Teen Read Week's sub-theme for this year is Seek the Unknown @ your library, which encourages teens to explore and learn about the unknown through mystery, adventure, sci-fi, and fantasy books. For more information about Teen Read Week, visit YALSA’s Teen Read Week website.

Get Carded - September is National Library Card Sign-up Month!

Aug 29, 2013 02:09:02 PM

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Kalamazoo, MI - September is Library Card Sign-up Month - a time when the American Library Association and libraries across the country remind parents and caregivers that a library card is the most important school supply of all. Kalamazoo Public Library wants to inform parents, caregivers and students of all ages, about the support and resources your library has to offer to ensure your scholastic success.

Since 1987, Library Card Sign-up Month has been held each September to mark the beginning of the school year. For students, a library card is essential. A library card provides access to e-books, online homework help and a multitude of online research tools and resources for their studies. A library card at KPL also means access to computers and free Internet access. For those without Internet access at home, a library card may mean the difference between failing and having a successful school year.

Get Carded and Get Rewards!

In honor of Library Card Sign-up Month, the following Kalamazoo businesses and organizations have partnered with KPL and are offering an incentive just for showing your KPL library card during your visit.

Enjoy all the perks your library card has to offer, and be sure to share what your library card means to you with your friends, family and colleagues who don't have their own library card. Tell them the true value of libraries, and how the library benefits you.

All the health experts tout the importance of eating organic, but not everyone can afford the cost to do so. Award winning journalist and Michigan native Tracie McMillan wanted to go beyond the food on her plate and explore the national priorities that put it there. The American Way of Eating chronicles McMillan’s own experiences in California farm fields, the produce aisle of a Detroit Walmart and the kitchen of New York City’s Applebee’s. Michigan-born and Brooklyn-based writer Tracie McMillan has won numerous awards for her writing in publications ranging from The New York Times to O, The Oprah Magazine. She is a Senior Fellow at the Schuster Institute for Investigative Journalism and a Knight-Wallace Fellow at the University of Michigan.

In Farm City, author Novella Carpenter recounts how she converted her ramshackle, weed-choked backyard in inner-city Oakland to an efficient farm complete with veggies, turkeys, ducks and pigs. This 2009 New York Times “Top 10 Book” heralds the joys and tribulations of a self-sustaining lifestyle.

Novella Carpenter’s work has appeared in salon.com, sfgate.com, and Food and Wine magazine. She is also a member of the Biofuel Oasis Cooperative, a biodiesel station and urban farming feed store in Berkeley, CA. Carpenter also keeps a blog about happenings on her farm, GhostTown Farm at www.novellacarpenter.com.

Two Books, One Community

What if the entire community read the same books? Find out! Join Reading Together, a county-wide book club led by the Kalamazoo Public Library. Since 2003, thousands of people from all walks of life have read and discussed the selected books and attended hundreds of events. Please join us.

Planning for the Reading Together 2104 events calendar and author visits are underway. Visit ReadingTogether.us for updates.

Central Library Building Enhancements

Jul 30, 2013 08:07:48 AM

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The Kalamazoo Public Library Central location at 315 S. Rose Street will undergo building enhancements this summer through the New Year. The building will remain open during the improvement process and patrons will be notified of any location changes for affected programming and events.

Kalamazoo Public Library Selected as a Family Place Library

Building Enhancements to Central Location Begin End of July

The Children’s Room is being redesigned to accommodate KPL’s selection as a Family Place Library™. Expanding on the traditional role of children’s services, Family Place builds on the knowledge that good health, early learning, parental involvement and supportive communities play a critical role in young children’s growth and development. Family Place Libraries redesign the library environment to be welcoming and appropriate for children beginning at birth; connect parents with resources, programs and service agencies; and reach out to non-traditional library users. This creates the network families need to nurture their children’s development during the critical first years of life and helps ensure all children enter school ready and able to learn. Kalamazoo Public Library is proud to have been selected as a Family Place Library due to our decades of service and dedication to early childhood literacy and the success of existing parent/child programming and support services. For more information about Family Place visit www.familyplacelibraries.org.

The enhancement of the Children’s Room redefines work areas so that adequate space can be created for an interactive activity room where children and their caregivers can participate in Family Place activities and programs. Other areas of the Children’s Room will be redesigned accordingly with this expansion to create a better visiting experience for children and their care givers. Toys and some programming for the new activity room will be paid for by a Family Place grant.

Renovations and improvements will also be taking place on the second floor Reference and Local History areas. The redesign will allow for improved visitor flow with easier access to materials, copy and print machines and an area in the rotunda for current periodicals and audiobooks. The local history department will also be expanded into the former tech center.

Miller Davis was selected as the construction company after a two-week bidding process. The building improvements will be paid for with funds designated for this purpose from KPL’s endowment fund as well as a generous donation from Major General and Mrs. John S. Patton of McLean, VA. Their generous gifts will pay for the work to expand the local history room.

Programs and services will continue during the construction process. For more information, please call 269-553-7879.

“Reading is not optional.” –Walter Dean Myers.

When Walter Dean Myers decided to drop out of high school, it was a teacher who told him to keep writing, no matter what. “It’s what you do,” she said. It was something that young Myers took to heart and years later, while working construction, he started writing and hasn’t stopped since. Myers’ books are inspired by his own challenging upbringing in Harlem and chronicle the lives of urban teenagers, primarily young, poor, African Americans. His work includes poetry, nonfiction and picture books for children.

Myers will visit two of Kalamazoo Public Library’s locations to discuss with children why reading is “not optional.” Myers understands the potential teasing youth may face when being seen with library books. “I was teased if I brought books home. I would take a paper bag to the library and put the books in the bag to bring home…I felt a little ashamed having books.” During his visit, Myers will speak about his rough upbringing, the vital importance of reading to children and how integral reading is for the intellectual development of all children, especially at-risk youth.

Myers was named the National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature in 2012. As part of this role, he is touring for two years, speaking to schools and libraries about reading and literacy. Myers is the third person to be appointed to the post, which was created in 2008 and is chosen by a committee formed by two groups: the Center for the Book in the Library of Congress and Every Child a Reader, a nonprofit organization affiliated with the Children’s Book Council, a trade association of children’s book publishers. He succeeds Katherine Patterson, the novelist best known for “Bridge to Terabithia” and Jon Scieszka, author of “The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales.”

The selection of Walter Dean Myers for the National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature is a bold statement. While his body of work includes poetry, nonfiction and picture books for children, his most notable works are aimed at young-adult readers and include stories of teenagers in violent gangs, soldiers headed to Iraq and juvenile offenders imprisoned for their crimes.

The Kalamazoo Public Library is honored to host Mr. Myers, and invites the public to join us for lively discussion and an opportunity to meet Walter Dean Myers. Myers will sign copies of his books (for sale courtesy of Bookbug.) Refreshments will be provided.

Popular software packages include Apple’s iLife (iPhoto, iMovie, GarageBand), iWork (Pages '09 for word processing and writing, Numbers '09 for spreadsheets, and Keynote '09 for presentations), plus Microsoft Office for Mac (Word, Excel, PowerPoint). MS Office files are compatible cross-platform, which means that files created on a PC it will work on a Mac and vice-versa. The iMacs also feature Photo Booth, a fun and easy to use photo editing program.

Like all KPL public computers, iMacs are available on a first-come, first-served basis. There is a two hour per day limit for Internet computer usage for KPL cardholders. Limited passes for guest users are also available. Patrons may also reserve a computer through our online reservation system.

Tornado FAQ: things you need to know

May 14, 2013 07:54:33 AM

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It’s tornado season, and if you are visiting the library during a tornado warning, there are a few things you need to know to stay safe.

Tornado Watch vs. Warning: A tornado watch means that the weather conditions are conducive for a tornado. A tornado warning means that a funnel cloud has been spotted and you should take cover immediately.

1. How will I know if there is a tornado warning?

You will hear announcements from KPL staff over the PA system that will notify you of the current weather conditions and what action needs to be taken. KPL staff will also be on hand guiding patrons.

2. If there is a tornado warning, what will happen?

You will hear an announcement over the PA system, which will direct you to the shelter location of the branch. Staff will help to guide patrons the shelter location. Patrons who do not wish to take shelter must leave the building. This message will be repeated. Please follow KPL staff guides to the shelter area.

3. What if I am on my way to the library when the tornado sirens start? Can I still seek shelter in the library?

Yes, the library doors will not be locked. There will be signage on the door indicating that the library is closed due to the tornado warning, and giving directions to the shelter location for the branch you are visiting.

4. What if I don’t want to stay in the library if there is a tornado warning?

You are not required to seek shelter in the library, but you will not be able to stay in the building. You will be required to leave.

5. What happens when an all clear is received?

Once an all-clear is received, patrons will be allowed to return to their previous location, unless the building has sustained damage that prevents re-opening. In this case patrons will be asked to leave while staff work to address the situation.

I can’t thank you enough for selecting “The Submission” for your Reading Together program, and even more, for the hospitality you showed me. It was wonderful to spend a couple of days in a city that combines the warmth of a small town with the vibrancy of a cultural center.

And what readers! I almost fell over when I met a book club who had spent four hours discussing my novel, give or take a little time spent on the carrot cake. And who caught a tiny change I had made between the hardcover and the paperback versions. When I spoke, the audience’s energy was palpable and their questions stimulating. And seeing the student art inspired by “The Submission” and displayed at the library was among the most inspiring experiences I’ve had since publishing my book.

Both the community and the library staff have my admiration and gratitude for doing so much to support readers and writers. The ideas for programming for Reading Together were brilliant, and I wish I could have attended.

Kalamazoo Public Library Adds Zinio to its E-library Collection

Apr 8/, 2013 04:29:21 PM

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The Kalamazoo Public Library is pleased to announce its latest addition to its e-library – Zinio. Zinio is the world’s largest digital newsstand and enables users to subscribe to and read thousands of magazines online or offline on the most commonly used digital devices. Zinio is compatible with PC, Mac, iPhone, iPad, Android, Kindle Fire/Fire HD, Windows 8, and Blackberry Playbook.

Digital magazine subscriptions cost the same as the print edition and multiple subscriptions can cost hundreds of dollars per year. Now Kalamazoo Public Library users have access to 75 popular titles for FREE with the addition of Zinio to its e-library collection on April 1. Available titles include: Businessweek, Cosmopolitan, Elle, ESPN, Forbes, Good Housekeeping, Martha Stewart Living, National Geographic, Newsweek, Rolling Stone, Us Weekly and many more!

Zinio is now available for free for KPL Resident Area borrowers only. Signing up is simple:

Visit kpl.gov and click on Download from the menu bar

Scroll down and click on Zinio to download the appropriate app for your mobile device, PC or Mac

Sign up by entering your KPL Resident Area library card number and follow online instructions

Follow instructions to create an account with Zinio

Begin browsing!

KPL patrons can select the titles they are interested in and will be notified by email when new issues are available.

The addition of Zinio is not only consistent with its strategic goal of keeping on the forefront of the latest digital technology but also enables KPL to be more green by eliminating print subscriptions. KPL is very proud to include Zinio in its e-library which also includes the following online digital offerings:

Databases: access unique information and content often not available elsewhere online including these popular links:- Learning Express Library: practice tests, exercises and skill building courses for school, work and life.- Ancestry Library: trace your family tree for free (in library use only)- Job & Career Accelerator: the industry’s most comprehensive, online job search system that puts job seekers on the Fast Track to getting hired

NPR Personality Brooke Gladstone to Speak

Mar 21, 2013 02:55:19 PM

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National Public Radio Personality Brooke Gladstone: Featured Speaker for 2013 Reading Together ProgramWill speak at WMU Center for the Humanities on Tuesday, April 2, 7 pm Free Parking at Miller Auditorium for the program

Brooke Gladstone is co-host and managing editor of the National Public Radio newsmagazine, On the Media, an up-close look at what the media are covering and why. While maintaining the civility and fairness that are hallmarks of public radio, On the Media tackles sticky issues with frankness and transparency. Gladstone is also the author of The Influencing Machine, Brooke Gladstone on the Media, an enlightening look at the complexities and, sometimes, controversies of modern media.

Gladstone was chosen as a featured speaker for the 2013 Reading Together program presented by the Kalamazoo Public Library. Reading Together is a program that invites people of all ages from all walks of life to read and then discuss important issues raised by a single book. Since 2003, thousands of county residents have participated in ten previous Reading Together programs. The 2013 chosen novel is The Submission by Amy Waldman. Reimagining 9/11 and its aftermath, The Submission, begins with a resonant scene: a jury gathers in Manhattan to choose a memorial for the victims of a devastating Islamic terrorist attack. After tense deliberations, they select the Garden, which features trees both living and made from salvaged steel. Then the jury discovers that the anonymous architect who created the winning design is an American Muslim. The revelation triggers both fury and ambivalence throughout New York. A driving theme behind the book is the powerful influence the media covering the developments of the jury’s decision has on the public and how it drives public perception.

During her talk, How Media Influences our Perception, Gladstone will share her experiences with the media and discuss her novel, The Influencing Machine, Brooke Gladstone on the Media. Description from the publisher: A million listeners trust NPR's Brooke Gladstone to guide them through the complexities of the modern media. Bursting onto the page in vivid comics by acclaimed artist Josh Neufeld, this brilliant radio personality guides us through two millennia of media history, debunking the notion that “The Media” is an external force beyond our control and equipping us to be savvy consumers and shapers of the news.

Brooke Gladstone started out in print journalism, writing on defense policy, strip-mining, broadcasting and cable TV. Her freelance pieces (on topics ranging from orgasmic Russian faith healers to the aesthetics of Pampers to NPR's near fiscal crash) have appeared in the London Observer, the Boston Globe, the Washington Post and The American Journalism Review among others. She also covered public broadcasting for Current, wrote and edited theater, film and music reviews for The Washington Weekly.

In 1987, NPR's Scott Simon asked her to fill in as senior editor for his still-new program, Weekend Edition Saturday. Eventually they gave her the job, and a couple years later, she became senior editor of the NPR newsmagazine, All Things Considered. She was awarded a Knight Fellowship at Stanford in 1991 and a year later she was in Russia, reporting on the bloody insurgency of the Russian Parliament and other stories for NPR.

In 1995, NPR created its brand new media beat and gave it to Gladstone, who covered it for six years from NPR's New York bureau in midtown Manhattan, until she was tapped by WNYC several subway stops downtown to help re-launch On The Media. The program was reborn in January of 2001. I t has since more than tripled its audience and won quite a few awards by brazenly showing how the journalism sausage is made.

Gladstone has won several awards too, including an Overseas Press Club Award, a Peabody and the Milwaukee Press Club's Sacred Cat Award for lifetime achievement, but sadly, On the Media's staff stubbornly refuses to perform any of the associated rituals.

Washington Square Branch to Re-Open Friday, February 15

Feb 15, 2013 08:40:42 AM

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The Kalamazoo Public Library Washington Square branch located at 1244 Portage Street will re-open on Friday, February 15 at 10 am after being successfully treated for bed bugs.

The Washington Square branch was closed on Friday, February 8 when bed bugs were discovered in returned books. The Kalamazoo Public Library contracted Griffin Pest Control to evaluate the situation. On Monday, February 11, bed-bug sniffing dogs were brought in, and while no live bed bugs were found, dead bugs were located and the dogs “alerted” in various areas of the library. An “alert” means the dog will sit and alert the handler of a potential presence of live bed bugs, their eggs, and/or larvae. On Tuesday, February 9, Griffin Pest Control conducted a treatment of the Washington Square branch by heating all affected areas to 120 degrees. Bed bugs are drawn out by the heat and then die as a result. The branch was then cleaned and prepared for re-opening.

The Children’s Room at Central Closed February 15-19

The Kalamazoo Public Library contracted Griffin Pest Control to conduct testing at the rest of the library’s locations: Central, Oshtemo, Eastwood and Alma Powell. Results indicated presence of bed bugs in the Children’s Room of the Central location located at 315 South Rose Street. Due to the findings, the Children’s Room will be closed on Friday, February 15 through Tuesday, February 19 for treatment.

The Children’s Room will re-open on Wednesday, February 20.

Bed Bugs are a Growing Community Problem: Over the last few years, incidents of bed bug infestations have become a growing problem for all public buildings including: hotels, schools, hospitals, libraries and any other building where the public frequents en masse. Because bed bugs can hide in items like jackets, backpacks and other soft materials, they can be brought into any location and create a new case of infestation. As a result, many public buildings have added bed bug detection and treatment as part of their regular building maintenance procedures.

A library is a less than ideal place for bed bugs to flourish. Because they are night feeders, they prefer sleeping, human or animal hosts to feed from. Since libraries close at night, bed bugs are deprived of the nourishment they need to survive. Bed bugs are typically brought in to the library on human hosts entering the building or in books that are kept on or near the bed of an infected home. As a member of the community, the Kalamazoo Public Library is aware that bed bugs will remain an ongoing issue for all public spaces until science develops a way to eradicate them entirely. For this reason, the Kalamazoo Public Library has established new policies to its current building maintenance program to minimize the risk of infestation going forward.

Each location will continue an inspection process on returns. Materials found to be contaminated will be quarantined immediately and disposed of or treated

Bed bug inspections by a qualified pest control company will be conducted regularly at each location

Future instances of bed bug detection will be dealt with on an individual basis, and will not necessarily require branch closure. The Kalamazoo Public Library will consult with pest control professionals in determining the appropriate course of action.

Each branch will strongly enforce current library conduct rules which forbids any patron or staff member from bringing in any large bags or other large items, including but not limited to: suitcases, duffle bags, large backpacks, bedrolls, blankets, and plastic garbage bags. Diaper bags and any bags measuring 10” x 16” x 24” or smaller are permitted

Minimize Your Risk of Exposure

If you are concerned about carrying bed bugs from any public space into your home, the following steps are recommended:

Upon returning home, remove all clothing and put it into your dryer at a high heat for at least 30 minutes, then put into the washing machine

Do not bring any large bags into public spaces; do not leave bags or jackets on the floor or draped over soft furniture

Keep books sealed in a plastic zip-lock bag when not in use, and do not keep books near bedding, beds or soft furniture

If you do find items such as books to contain evidence of bed bugs immediately seal them in a plastic zip-lock bag and notify the establishment they were received from

If you are concerned about bed bugs in your home, contact a qualified pest control company for advice and assistance

KPL Wins State Librarian's Citation of Excellence Award

Nov 9/, 2012 10:14:07 AM

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Kalamazoo Public Library has been awarded a Citation of Excellence for superior customer service from the state librarian. The award was presented at the Michigan Library Association (MLA) conference in Detroit on Wednesday, November 8th.

From the Michigan Department of Education news release:

“The State Librarian’s Excellence Award is sponsored by the Roger and June Mendel Fund of the Library of Michigan Foundation. Gifts from Martin L. Gibbs and Carole Sorensen and from Elaine M. Logan supported the citations of excellence.

Kalamazoo Public Library created a Customer Service Plan in 2007 and has sustained since then a Customer Service Committee that continues to define, measure, recognize, and reward excellence in customer service. The most recent revision of its service plan resulted in a Code of Service that outlines and defines the level of service it expects from its staff. In addition to this strong proactive focus on customer service, the library also forges strong collaborative relationships with community organizations, particularly its schools. In response to the Kalamazoo Promise, the library used creative thinking and service attitude to provide library cards to 1,000 first-grade students. This helps contributes to the Governor’s goal to have Michigan students reading at grade level by the end of third grade. Even though it is operating at a significantly decreased number of staff than three years ago, the library continues to meet its mission to create a community where people aspire to learn, engage and thrive.

Director Ann Rorbaugh said, ‘We are honored to be recognized. Customer service at KPL has many dimensions … one-on-one desk type interactions; partnering with other local agencies especially the Kalamazoo Public Schools; and the materials, programs, and services we offer to all ages. The state recognition is very affirming to our staff and board.’”

Oct 30, 2012 01:34:33 PM

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The ONLA consists of ten all-day sessions beginning Friday, January 18 and meeting every other Friday through May 17. Between sessions, students complete reading assignments and meet with mentors. Mentor relationships may be arranged by the student or will be assigned by ONEplace. Applications are being accepted now through November 30, 2012.

Popular ONEplace Series Returns

Aug 22, 2012 02:29:36 PM

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Nonprofit managers found Paul Knudstrup’s five-session “Nonprofit Supervision & Management” so helpful that ONEplace will offer the course again this fall.

This popular series explores key issues and strategies in supervision and management. Target audience includes middle-level directors and managers in all areas of nonprofit organizations – anyone who supervises others.

Seeking Photos for KPL's 140th

Aug 6/, 2012 10:48:53 AM

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Kalamazoo Public Library celebrates its 140th anniversary on Friday, October 12! We plan to launch our celebration week with Art Hop exhibits on October 5 at Central Library, from 6-8 pm, and the Powell Branch Library, from 5-7 pm.

We’re asking friends of the library—both professional and amateur photographers—to take photos of KPL’s buildings, staff, patrons, and/or events for display on October 5.

Art hoppers will enjoy music and birthday cake while they browse the photo collection—of both new and historical photos. Interested photographers, please contact mac@kpl.gov.

Geek the Library

Jun 11, 2012 12:10:10 PM

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Kalamazoo Public Library launched its Geek the Library campaign on June 2, 2012, at Kalamazoo’s famous Do-Dah Parade. Since 1984, the venerable Do-Dah Parade has challenged participants to create a parody—a spoof or satire of a person, place, event, or thing. What better venue for a troop of geeks to get their geek on! Check out our parade photos.

To geek, used as a verb in this campaign, means to:

To love, to enjoy, to celebrate, to have an intense passion for.

To express interest in.

To possess a large amount of knowledge in.

To promote.

Whatever you geek, the public library supports you. Everyone is passionate about something—everyone geeks something. As we develop KPL’s Geek the Library campaign, you’ll learn what KPL staff geek. And you’ll get a chance to share what you geek, too! Later this summer we’ll offer KPL patrons a geek video or poster opportunity. To get involved, email geek@kpl.gov.

This community-based public awareness campaign was designed to highlight the vital role of public libraries in today’s challenging environment. The nonprofit library cooperative OCLC manages the national campaign with funds from The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Participating libraries receive materials and significant support from OCLC.

Public Computers Unavailable at Central

May 23, 2012 08:14:23 AM

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Public computers will be unavailable at Central Library throughout the day on Wednesday, May 23rd, due to software upgrades. Public PCs will be available as normal at all branch locations. Wi-Fi will also be available at all locations, including Central. Normal service at all locations should resume by Thursday.

Library Catalog Offline May 26-28

May 23, 2012 08:07:32 AM

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The Kalamazoo Public Library catalog system will be offline beginning Saturday evening, May 26, through Sunday, May 27, due to system upgrades. Users may also experience intermittent outages during the day on Memorial Day, Monday, May 28. Normal service should resume on Tuesday.

We appreciate your patience while we make several exciting new changes to our online catalog!

First Saturday Fun @ the Library

Apr 24, 2012 09:33:30 AM

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On April 7, 2012, Kalamazoo Public Library, Kalamazoo Public Schools, and the Hispanic American Council will sponsor First Saturday, from 2-4 pm, at the Central Library’s Children’s Room, 315 S Rose St. This new initiative, now in its second month, encourages families to make regular library visits an important part of their lives. More than 350 parents and children attended the inaugural First Saturday on March 3.

On First Saturday, families will enjoy fun, free activities designed to entertain their children. They’ll see that the library offers popular movies, music and books to borrow and computers to work on, all for free. They’ll learn that libraries and librarians can answer questions on hundreds of topics, plus help with homework.

A number of other organizations are partnering with KPL and KPS in the First Saturday initiative. Each month, one or more of the partners will cosponsor the First Saturday event.

As the April cosponsor, the Hispanic American Council plans to feature a Guatemalan theme: folk tales in Spanish and English, food (tapas), dance, and a kids craft. The first 100 families to arrive on April 7 will receive a free book from HAC. Additional door prizes will be given away by KPS and KPL.

Luis Urrea Presentation Now on PMN

Mar 12, 2012 09:49:27 AM

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Kalamazoo's Public Media Network recorded Reading Together author Luis Alberto Urrea's presentation on March 6, 2012, at Kalamazoo Central High School's auditorium. Tune in at one of the following times on Kalamazoo cable channel 95:

Tuesday, March 13, 7 pm

Wednesday, March 14, 1 pm

Monday, March 19, 9 pm

Thursday, March 22, 7 pm

Following the scheduled viewings, the show will be available for check out from Kalamazoo Public Library.

WiFi Down February 28

Feb 24, 2012 11:50:58 AM

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Kalamazoo Public Library's wifi won't be available on Tuesday, February 28. Technicians will be upgrading the wireless hotspot controller that day. They anticipate finishing the work in one day. If work is not completed on the 28th, wireless may also be down on the 29th. We'll keep patrons posted via the website and signs on the doors.

Thanks for understanding! We know you'll appreciated the increased speed and greater access within the library's buildings.

Michigan Notable Books 2012

Jan 4/, 2012 11:00:20 AM

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The Library of Michigan recently announced the list of the 2012 Michigan Notable Books – 20 books highlighting Michigan people, places, and events. “This year’s Michigan Notable Books bring to life the Michigan experience through vivid storytelling that creates portraits of the people and places that make Michigan great,” said State Librarian Nancy Robertson. “Addressing Michigan’s natural beauty, its innovative leaders or the faith of its people, these books celebrate Michigan as a place and a people that even in the most trying of times find transformation. The Library of Michigan is delighted to honor these 20 books as the 2012 Michigan Notable Books.”

Replace Don’t Erase

Dec 28, 2011 04:42:53 PM

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Kalamazoo Public Library recently joined counties, municipalities, public safety and public school officials from all across Michigan in urging the State Legislature and Gov. Rick Snyder to fully replace all local revenues that would be lost if they eliminate the personal property tax (PPT) on business equipment and machinery. This is a tax paid only by businesses, not by individual taxpayers or homeowners.

While the tax is unpopular with businesses and most agree that PPT reform may be needed, scrapping the tax without guaranteeing replacement funds for local services and schools would be very harmful to Michigan citizens. Given earlier cuts in state revenue sharing, and continually declining property values, loss of the PPT would be devastating.

Locally, the tax accounts for $4.7 million, or almost 14 percent of the city of Kalamazoo’s property tax revenue. In Portage, it accounts for $3.8 million, or nearly 18 percent. (Mlive) Kalamazoo Public Library would lose $1,224,000 every year, almost 11 percent of the 2011-12 budget.

In response to declining property tax revenue and cuts in state aid, KPL has eliminated bookmobile service, reduced hours at branch libraries, reduced staff by 10% (more than ten positions), and eliminated public computer training classes. Additional loss of library revenue will result in further reduction in service hours, fewer library programs and materials, less outreach to preschoolers, possible branch library closures, and more.

The resolution in support of fully replacing, not just erasing, Michigan’s personal property tax, which was unanimously adopted by Kalamazoo Public Library trustees on December 19, 2011, may be read here.

eBook Help Desk @ Central

Dec 13, 2011 05:37:43 PM

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Just get an ereader? Maybe you're thinking about giving one as a gift? Wonder how they work with library books? Drop by the Central Library for help. In response to growing interest in ebooks, we set up an ebook help desk on the first floor. You'll find a number of handouts that explain how to download library ebooks to the most popular ereaders, plus a glossary of ebook terms, and two comparisons of ereader devices. Staff members will be at the desk to answer questions from 12-1 pm, Monday through Friday, as well as some afternoon and early evening hours.

The section features nearly 600 interconnected web pages and covers more than 20 categories. The pages include information about people and places from Kalamazoo’s past, researched and written by members of the Kalamazoo Public Library staff. The award citation proclaimed KPL’s Local History website “an invaluable resource for researchers ranging from middle school students competing in History Day to genealogists.”

The Historical Society of Michigan presented its 2011 State History Awards at the 137th Annual Meeting and State History Conference held September 23-25, 2011, in Traverse City. The awards were presented at the annual awards reception and banquet. KPL’s webmaster Keith Howard accepted the award on behalf of Kalamazoo Public Library from Sharon Carlson, member of the Historical Society of Michigan board of trustees.

Each year the Historical Society of Michigan presents a State History Award to those individuals and organizations that have made outstanding contributions to the appreciation and understanding of Michigan history. Judging criteria include excellence of achievement by an individual or organization in the collection, preservation and promotion of state and local history.

Catalog Unavailable Next Weekend

Aug 24, 2011 08:57:16 AM

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Due to system upgrades, the Kalamazoo Public Library catalog and patron accounts (My Account) will be unavailable on Labor Day weekend from 5:00 pm on Saturday, September 3, to early afternoon on Sunday, September 4. We're sorry for any inconvenience this causes!

Where's My Account?

Aug 15, 2011 11:47:48 AM

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Thanks to patrons' comments, we've made it easier for you to login to your KPL account!

Clicking My Account at the top middle of every page on the KPL website will take you to your account login. Enter your User Id and your PIN and click Login to My Account. From there, you can review what you've checked out, renew items, and more.

As long as you remain in the library catalog, you will be logged in. If you click away from the catalog, to check a page in the library's or any other website, you will be logged out. That's a safety feature of the catalog—it protects your personal information by logging you out when you leave the catalog.

Questions about your account? Visit the Account Help webpage, call 553-7806, or ask a library staff member for help when you visit the library.

Do You Read KPS's Excelsior?

Jun 24, 2011 02:00:08 PM

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Do your child(ren) attend the Kalamazoo Public Schools? Do you read the schools’ Excelsior newspaper when it arrives in your mail each month? Then we want your opinion!

KPL published a full page ad on the back of Excelsior from January through June of 2011. The ad featured a listing of children’s, tween, teen, and adult events for the upcoming month.

If you read Excelsior, we want to know if you saw the ad and what you thought of it. Please take this brief survey.

At the end of the survey, you may share your contact information to be entered in a thank you prize drawing at the end of the summer. Prizes include five gift certificates to Bookbug in Oakwood Plaza. Winners will be notified by phone or email.

Answer Survey, Enter Contest!

Jun 17, 2011 03:53:00 PM

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Do you ever visit the library looking for a good book to read, music to listen to, or movie to watch?

Please check out these web pages designed to help readers, listeners, and viewers then answer one or more of three brief surveys. Your answers will help us better meet patrons’ needs through the website.

The surveys will be available through July 10. Those who wish to enter thank-you prize drawings will be asked to provide contact information. Prize winners will be contacted the following week.

Bookstore Overflowing!

Jun 2/, 2011 03:23:08 PM

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The Friends of Kalamazoo Public Library respectfully request that donors delay dropping off books for the Friends until after June 6, 2011. All Friends’ storage areas are literally overflowing with books as they await their giant Super Saturday Sidewalk Sale, this Saturday, June 4, from 9:00 am to 3:30 pm.

After the thousands of books that typically sell on Saturday have found new homes, the Friends will once again gratefully accept your donations. You may drop books, movies, and music in the slot outside the Friends store or place them on the Friends cart inside the back entrance during the Central Library’s open hours.

If you're a book lover, be sure to stop by early on Saturday for super bargains. You’ll find plenty of fiction (general fiction, mystery, sci-fi, and romance), assorted nonfiction, lots of children’s books, lots of large print. Books are 10¢ each or buy a bag full for just $2. You can help the Friends by bringing your own bag. Proceeds help support the library.

Party in Bronson Park on June 1

May 31, 2011 09:24:28 AM

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Bring your preschoolers to a special party in Bronson Park tomorrow, June 1, from 10 to 11 am. The weather looks glorious—sunny and mid-70s—perfect for a morning storytime with community leaders and costumed storybook characters.

Library Installs New Computers

Apr 8/, 2011 12:45:45 PM

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Kalamazoo Public Library recently replaced its current “thin clients” with new stand-alone computers April 11-13 at all five library locations. The new computers are equipped with larger, wide screen monitors, CD burners, and USB ports so patrons can use their own flash drives to save documents and files.

The USB ports also accept external floppy disk drives and memory card readers. Both can be borrowed for use in the library, making it easier for patrons to upload photos from cameras to sites like Facebook and Flickr, as well as email. With headphones (bring your own or buy from KPL for just $2.75), every computer is a listening and watching station!

Additional features include an easy typing tutorial and Zoom Text, magnification and reading software for the vision impaired. Plus, patrons can now search the internet with both Firefox and Internet Explorer web browsers. At the end of each computer session, the computer will automatically reboot, improving patron privacy.

Come try out the new computers! Library cardholders receive free internet access for up to two hours a day. All computer users may print to library printers for just 10¢ a page. Need help using the library’s computers? Tech interns now offer basic support 40 hours each week at the Central Library. Hours vary. Call 553-7801 to learn when an intern will be available. Read each intern’s blog on the technology page.

Fine Forgiveness During Reading Together

Feb 23, 2011 03:00:50 PM

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Author Tracy Kidder explores the nature of forgiveness in the 2011 Reading Together selection, Strength in What Remains. Kalamazoo Public Library will honor the theme of forgiveness by forgiving library patrons’ overdue fines throughout Reading Together, from March 4 through April 16, 2011.

Get a fresh start! Don’t let overdue fines keep you from using the library. Visit any Kalamazoo Public Library location during the six weeks of Reading Together and ask a staff member at the checkout desk to forgive your overdue fines.

All library materials must be returned in good condition, either during these forgiveness weeks or earlier. This amnesty does not include replacement fees for lost or damaged materials, only for overdue fines.

Reading Together This Week

Feb 7/, 2011 12:17:15 PM

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Reading Together launches this Thursday, February 10, 6:30 pm, at the Central Library with the program “Appreciating Kidder.” Dr. William Combs, Western Michigan University professor emeritus of English, examines Reading Together 2011 author Tracy Kidder’s writing and reveals why readers and reviewers praise his research and insight.

Reading Together Website Launches

Jan 26, 2011 04:18:29 PM

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Check out the Reading Together 2011 website! Reading Together invites people of all ages from all walks of life to read and then discuss important issues raised by a single book. Since 2003, thousands of county residents have participated in seven previous Reading Together programs.

We’re reading Tracy Kidder’s Strength in What Remains in 2011. The new website features pages about the author, the book, and Deogratias “Deo” Niyizonkiza, the subject of Kidder’s compelling, true story, and the winner of a 2010 Womens Refugee Commission Voices of Courage Award.

You’ll find the the full slate of great programs on the website, beginning with Appreciating Kidder on Thursday, February 10, at 6:30 pm. William Combs, WMU professor emeritus of English, will discuss Kidder’s writing and reveal why readers and reviewers praise his research and insight.

Search the catalog for books, movies, or music, then put the item you find on hold; see the hottest title, author, subject; and browse fiction, nonfiction, movies, and music lists to discover KPL’s newest titles. Instantly link to a great variety of recommended reading and best seller lists.

Need to renew an item or check what you have on hold? Click the catalog icon, then Login to My Account. Enter your KPL card ID number and your PIN (usually the last four digits of your phone number). Tap the drop down labeled Local Information then select My Account.

New to Kalamazoo Public Library? Use the app to find locations and maps, check hours, and call each location. Read the latest KPL tweets for news and events.

The winners were announced following a readout of the five books. The adult winner took home a $500 award from the ACLU; the student winner received $150. Honorable Mention and People’s Choice winners received copies of the five books.

Teach an Adult to Read

Aug 30, 2010 08:41:06 AM

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Tutors wanted! The Kalamazoo Literacy Council is seeking patient, caring adults willing to help another adult learn to read and write. Tutors work with just one adult learner two hours a week, for a minimum commitment of one year, at a time and place convenient for both tutor and learner. Tutors often find they gain as much from sessions as learners. The Literacy Council currently supports 75 active tutor-learner pairs, but more than 20 prospective students need tutors.

The Literacy Council trains tutors in the internationally recognized Laubach Way to Reading, designed specifically for volunteers working with adults. The method allows learners to work at their own pace, with tutoring customized to their own needs, to develop basic reading and writing skills. The next training session will be held September 11 and 18, from 9:30 am to 4:30 pm, for a total of 12 hours.

Sadly, 13% of Kalamazoo County adults (approximately 31,000) cannot read well enough to share a bedtime story with a child or understand memos from school. Adult learners seeking help from the Literacy Council range from 18 years to senior citizens. Many are motivated by a desire to read to their children or grandchildren, or to help them with their homework. Other learners want to read the Bible or earn a GED.

Branch Hours Reduced

Jul 30, 2010 06:15:31 PM

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Kalamazoo Public Library’s Board of Trustees voted to reduce service hours at all four branch libraries and the Law Library in July. Law Library hours changed in September; branch changes take effect December 1, 2010.

Why reduce branch library hours?

Kalamazoo Public Library receives 92.5% of its revenue from library district property taxes. The library’s revenue has decreased almost $900,000, about 7% of the annual budget since 2008. Experts estimate that property tax values will continue to drop statewide.

To meet these budget challenges, the library has eliminated the bookmobile, reduced budgets in many areas, reduced salaried staff by 9 FTEs and significantly cut hourly staff, and begun a strategic planning process to better determine what services are most needed and valued in the community. With the staff reductions, the library can no longer effectively cover all current open hours in all locations.

A total of 33 branch and Law Library service hours will be reduced systemwide, reducing costs by approximately $145,000.

How did the library determine the new hours?

The recommended changes are based on a review of circulation statistics, computer use, and staff observation. The new open hours reflect the busiest times at each branch location. Powell Branch Library will be closed on Saturday because the Douglass Community Association building, home of the library, is closed.

Aside from the Law Library, hours will not change at the Central Library. As Director Rohrbaugh says, ‘The Education Community’ needs a main library that’s open every weekday evening during the school year to serve students.” A total of 33 hours will be reduced system-wide.

The contest is open to artists residing in southwest Michigan. Artwork should be submitted in one of two categories: Adult, artists over the age of 18 years; or Student, artists in grades 7-12.

Entries must be received by mail no later than Wednesday, September 29. Hand-delivered entries will be accepted Tuesday, September 28, and Wednesday, September 29, between 9 am to 9 pm, at Kalamazoo Public Library, 315 S. Rose St. An entry form (available online) must accompany artwork.

The ACLU will award First Place cash prizes in two categories: $500 to the Adult winner and $150 to the Student winner. One Honorable Mention and one People's Choice will also be awarded in each category.

Art contest winners will be announced Friday, October 1, during the Art Hop Reception, from 5:00-8:00 pm, at Kalamazoo Public Library. The celebration will also include a Banned Books Readout, from 6:00-7:30 pm, featuring local personalities. All submitted art work will be displayed at Kalamazoo Public Library from October 1-8.

Please contact KPL’s Kevin King or the ACLU’s Jacquelyn Taylor, jvmt@yahoo.com, with any questions about the art contest.

Parking Rates Rise Downtown

Jun 9/, 2010 10:27:35 AM

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Parking in public lots and at meters in downtown Kalamazoo will cost more beginning July 1. However, rates and enforcement hours at unattended parking lots, like the one behind the Central Library, will remain the same.

The unattended parking lot behind Central Library will still cost $.85 an hour, with a maximum permitted parking time of two hours. The lot will continue to be enforced Monday through Friday, from 9 am to 5 pm.

Rates at attended parking facilities will go from the current $1.15 to $1.20 an hour, with the maximum all-day rate rising to $9.25 from $9.20 currently.

Parking meters will go up 25 cents per hour, to $1.50, for short-term meters. Also up 25 cents, to $2, for long-term meters for parking up to 10 hours. Metered parking will be enforced from 6 am to 6 pm, Monday through Saturday, instead of from 8 am to 5 pm.

Kitamoto suggests that “lessons from the past help us not just to survive, but to come alive in a multi-cultural community...diversity, equality and humanism are the true strengths that make our country, the United States of America, so special and admired in the eyes of the world.”

The evening includes a performance by the Kalamazoo College Taiko Drumming Troupe. The photo exhibit “For the Sake of the Children” will also be on display during the event on Thursday, April 15, 6:30 pm, at the First Baptist Church, 315 W. Michigan Ave.

Prom Dresses Needed

Mar 23, 2010 10:35:15 AM

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Help local high school girls get ready for their prom! Kalamazoo Public Library will offer the third annual Prom Prep event on Saturday, April 10, from 1-3 pm. Last year, Teen Services staff members were able to match more than 75 girls with prom essentials!

Teen Services will gratefully accept donations of formalwear, jewelry, evening purses, shoes, or any other prom-related accessory up to the day of the event. Please bring your donations to the Teen Services desk any time during library hours.

Questions? Call Jill or Amanda, the staff members coordinating this event, at 553-7807 or email teens@kpl.gov. Help Teen Services make prom night special!

Bookmobile Service Ends March 31

Feb 19, 2010 02:12:12 PM

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Kalamazoo Public Library’s bookmobile will retire after more than 50 years of service on March 31, 2010. A farewell celebration will be held during the bookmobile’s final week on the road. Details will be announced later.

In October 2009, KPL’s board of trustees decided to end bookmobile service no later than the end of the current fiscal year, June 30—the final date to be set after bookmobile staff could be reassigned elsewhere in the library. Staff retirements and resignations have now made that possible. All current bookmobile staff will continue to work in other areas of the library.

Bookmobile service started late in 1956 as a way to reach residents in growing suburban areas, at a time when many households had just one car, KPL’s neighborhood services were far less developed, and the downtown library was outgrowing its original 1893 building.

The world has changed since then! About 600 of the library’s 45,000 patrons checked out a total of 26,459 items from the bookmobile last year—less than 3% of the library’s total circulation. In contrast, 375,088 unique visitors accessed 21,134 pages on KPL’s website 2,117,508 times. KPL’s website has truly become a very busy virtual branch.

In these challenging economic times, the library is cutting costs to meet declining revenue. In the last two years, KPL has reduced energy use; delayed equipment purchases; trimmed funds for materials; dropped positions and reassigned work following retirements and resignations. Those measures are no longer enough—now we have to weigh the cost and effectiveness of all library services in terms of the entire community’s needs.

Sadly, KPL can no longer afford to offer bookmobile service. Fortunately, many bookmobile patrons already use other KPL locations. A small number of current bookmobile users cannot travel elsewhere. Staff members will seek to meet those patrons’ needs through existing services, like Via Mail (books-by-mail) and deposit collections.

The library director’s complete report and recommendation to the board is available online, www.kpl.gov/bookmobile.

KPL realizes that some patrons cannot travel to the library’s downtown or branch locations. The Patron Services department is considering deposit collections at additional locations. Homebound patrons—those who cannot visit the library because of age, poor health, or disability—may call the Via Mail coordinator to learn if they qualify for home delivery service, 553-7809.

Bookmobile Service to Be Discontinued

Nov 11, 2009 04:33:34 PM

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At their regular monthly meeting on October 26, 2009, Kalamazoo Public Library’s board of trustees very reluctantly decided to phase out bookmobile service by no later than the end of the current fiscal year, June 30, 2010.

Kalamazoo Public Library, like most other organizations, is facing budget constraints. Earlier this year, KPL asked voters to support a 20-year renewal of the library’s operating millage at the same rate of 2.7782. Voters approved the request by a 3-to-1 margin. However, passing the millage at the same rate does not guarantee the same revenue to the library. 92% of KPL’s revenue comes from property taxes. As property tax values drop, KPL’s revenue drops, while costs for many items continue to rise.

The State Treasurer has forecast a 6.5% drop in taxable value statewide; we anticipate a 5% drop here in Kalamazoo. This drop, combined with additional revenue cuts in state aid and other income sources, will require another $550,000 cut in next year’s budget.

Until now, KPL has met budget constraints by reducing energy use, delaying equipment purchases, trimming funds for books, movies, music, newspapers, magazines, and more. We’ve also eliminated positions and reassigned work following retirements and resignations. Those measures are no longer enough—we have to look for greater cost savings. Dropping bookmobile service will realize annual savings in staff costs, library materials, oil and gas, repairs, and various supplies.

About 600 patrons checked out a total of 26,459 items from the bookmobile last year—less than 3% of the library’s total circulation. While we share the disappointment of bookmobile patrons, we know many of them also use other KPL locations. Bookmobile staff estimate that about 68-80 current bookmobile users cannot travel elsewhere. We will seek to meet their needs through existing services, like Via Mail (books-by-mail) and deposit collections at senior residences.

Read the library director’s complete Bookmobile Report and recommendation to the board.

Barnes & Noble stores across the country invite customers to give the gift of reading to children with the launch of its annual Holiday Book Drive. The Holiday Book Drive offers customers the opportunity to donate books to locally designated non-profit organizations.

Holiday Book Drive recipients throughout the country include schools, libraries, literacy organizations, family social service agencies, and homeless centers. This year, the local Barnes & Noble, 6134 S. Westnedge Ave., will collect books for Ready to Read.

“Each Barnes & Noble can partner with a non-profit local organization of its choice to benefit from the Holiday Book Drive. It’s a great opportunity for our stores and customers to come together to donate new books for children in the community who really need them,” said Sarah DiFrancesco, community relations director. “On a national level, Barnes & Noble will make donations to literacy charities across the country.”

To learn more or find out how to participate in the Holiday Book Drive, call Kirsten Fredrickson, Barnes & Noble’s local community relations manager, 269-327-9589.

Remodeling Project Starts at Central

Oct 2/, 2009 10:15:43 AM

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Big changes to the Central Library’s first floor area start Monday, October 5—changes that will allow KPL to utilize funds better. Demolition starts with the laying of tile in a previously carpeted area in front of the curving staircase to the second floor. The work will culminate with the remodeling of Central’s checkout desk.

A generous anonymous bequest allowed KPL to install a modern inventory system using Radio Frequency Identification from 3M Library Systems—the same system installed by Kent District Library, KPL’s northern neighbor. Read about KDL’s success in enhancing customer service. With RFID, patrons can quickly and easily check out their own items. RFID means convenience, speed, and self-sufficiency for patrons.

RFID also means fewer staff will be needed at the checkout desk. Instead, they’ll be freed to more quickly check in materials and put them back on the shelves for patrons to borrow. This change will help KPL manage its evergrowing circulation. Last year, KPL loaned 29% more DVDs, CDs, audiobooks, and 9% more books—a total increase of 14% more than last year, to almost a million items.

KPL will create three new, smaller checkout stations in a new location during this process. These stations will allow patrons to quickly and easily check out their own items. The old checkout desk will be replaced with two streamlined staffed stations plus an open shelving area for patrons to pick up their own holds. A computer will be installed in the check out area to allow patrons to apply for a library card online.

A new website page features the new floor plan, an architectural drawing of the area, and a renovation blog to keep patrons informed as the work progresses throughout the fall.

Enter Banned Books Art Contest

Sep 15, 2009 01:22:05 PM

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To celebrate Banned Books Week, Kalamazoo Public Library and the American Civil Liberties Union of Michigan Southwestern Branch are sponsoring a Banned Books Week Art Contest. The ACLU will award a grand prize of $150 to the show winner.

Artists of all ages are invited to create original art for the contest inspired by one of the following five frequently challenged books.

Entries should be delivered to KPL on Wednesday, September 30, or Thursday, October 1, from 9 am - 9 pm. (Please note that the earlier submission date of September 25 published in the Library LINK newsletter was incorrect.)

Art contest winners will be announced Friday, October 2, 6-8 pm, during the Art Hop at Kalamazoo Public Library. All submitted art work will be displayed at Kalamazoo Public Library from October 3-9.

The Art Hop on October 2 will also include a Banned Books Read-out, featuring local celebrities Bonnie Jo Campbell, Garrard McLeod, Lori Moore, Keith Thompson, and Von Washington.

Other libraries in the Kalamazoo area that have reciprocal agreements with Kalamazoo Public Library either have or may soon establish similar limits. Regular users of reciprocal borrowing services should be aware that some aspects of their service may be changing.

As library usage has increased dramatically during the recent economic crisis, area libraries may set other limits to improve access to new books, movies, or other high demand items for taxpayers in their service area. While reciprocal borrowing was established to provide better access to library materials throughout the broader community, each library must also set polices that best serve the needs of its taxpayers.

A few Kalamazoo Public Library services have always been reserved for library district residents—including Hot Picks, Book Club in a Bag, Book My Favorites, MeLCat, and home access to some databases. The library board respects KPL taxpayers’ support; they encourage library management to reserve KPL’s more time intensive and costly services for KPL taxpayers. Nonresident, reciprocal borrowers may choose to pay an annual fee to get a KPL card with full borrowing privileges.

READ Poster Photo Shoot at Summer Party

Aug 21, 2009 03:02:44 PM

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During the End-of-Summer Reading Party, summer reading game players may have their photo taken for a READ poster. They may bring their own special book from home or borrow one from the library shelves for their photo, which only takes a few minutes to shoot.

Some famous faces show their support for the simple but powerful message—READ—on posters published by the American Library Association. Kalamazoo has its own set of READ posters featuring local faces: patrons, KPS teachers and administrators, and some local celebrities. The posters have been used to create bookmarks, banners, print ad, and to wrap the KPL delivery van.

If you played a summer reading game, don't miss the party on Sunday, August 30, from 2-5 pm, at the Central Library! We'll have live music from the popular band Lake Effect; crafts, bingo and other games; face painting and caricatures; play Guitar Hero, ROCK BAND, and other video games; refreshments and door prizes.

KPL Librarian Tells Tales on the Trail

Jul 17, 2009 05:28:37 PM

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Judi Rambow, Powell Branch lead librarian, will offer two special outdoor storytimes on Friday, July 24, and Friday, August 21, at 10 am, on the Kalamazoo River Valley Trail (KRVT) next to the Powell Branch Library, 1000 W Paterson St. Ms Rambow will read stories for children ages 3-5 years and their families about enjoying the outdoors, health and fitness. Call 373-5073 to register or for more information.

Tales on the Trail storytimes are part of a KRVT summer program series, including nature walks, family scavenger hunts, local history walks, and more. Programming on the Kalamazoo River Valley Trail has been made possible thanks to a generous grant from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation.

The Kalamazoo River Valley Trail opened in 2008. It currently extends 4.8 miles from the Kal-Haven Trailhead at 10th St., to Westnedge Ave. in downtown Kalamazoo. The seventh park in the Kalamazoo County Park system, the trail was funded by private donations and matching enhancement grants from the Michigan Department of Transportation.

SCORE Execs Offer Free Counseling

Jul 17, 2009 05:24:31 PM

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Learn from experienced business leaders who have been there, done that. Members of SCORE (Service Corps of Retired Executives) will offer two counseling sessions for small business owners and entrepreneurs from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. July 23 at the downtown Central Library. Registration is required. To sign up, call SCORE at 381-5382 or email info@scorekazoo.org.

During the sessions, counselors will discuss how a potential or existing business can thrive and grow in today’s challenging economic climate. Small business counseling from SCORE can help businesses:

Increase value by growing sales, earnings and cash flow

Identify and solve problems

Develop business plans

Develop marketing and promotion

Integrate online and off-line business strategies

Provide access to small business resources

The Kalamazoo Chapter of SCORE also offers a series of low-cost, high-value workshops several times throughout the year. Specifically tailored for the entrepreneur and small business owner, these working sessions provide the tools necessary to start or improve a small business.

Members of SCORE are known as “Counselors to America’s Small Business.” Through the organization, working and retired business executives and business owners make their experience, knowledge and talent available to small businesses in need of assistance with business plan development, accounting and taxes, marketing and loan applications.

Headquartered in Herndon, VA, and Washington, DC, SCORE was founded in 1964. Today, there are 370 chapters nationwide, and some 11,200 volunteers offer their time and talent to small businesses.

KPL Board Opening Announced

Jun 23, 2009 09:45:42 AM

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At its June 22 monthly meeting, the Kalamazoo Public Library board of trustees approved a process for filling a trustee position that became vacant with the resignation of trustee Ian Kennedy. Mr. Kennedy will be moving out of the Kalamazoo Public Library district. His current term would have ended June 30, 2013, however his vacant seat will be filled by appointment only until 2011, the date of the next library board of trustees election.

Application Deadline July 17

Persons interested in serving on the board of trustees are invited to send a letter of interest and a description of their qualifications to the board no later than 5:00 p.m. on Friday, July 17. Trustees must be registered voters within the Kalamazoo Public Library district, which encompasses the City of Kalamazoo, Kalamazoo Township, Oshtemo Township, and the Kalamazoo Public Schools district.

Committee to Review Applications

A committee comprised of trustees Cynthia Addison, Lisa Godfrey, and current board president Valerie Wright will review applicants’ letters and credentials. If several qualified citizens apply, the committee may choose to interview candidates. The committee expects to present a recommendation to the full board at their August 24, 2009, meeting. A majority vote of the board will fill the vacated seat.

To learn more about the board of trustees, to read minutes of past meetings, or to see a schedule of upcoming meetings, please visit the Kalamazoo Public Library website. Please call Martha Coash, assistant to the library director, with any questions at 269-553-7826.

Shout Sister Shout to Perform at KPL

Jun 9/, 2009 12:09:08 PM

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Rachel Davis and the boys from Steppin’ In It will present a free concert at Kalamazoo Public Library, 315 S Rose St, June 17 at 7:00 p.m.

Davis and Steppin’ In It, both past performers at KPL, joined forces as a new quintet, Shout Sister Shout (named after the Sister Rosetta Tharpe classic), in 2006 after playing concerts as a double-bill. See video clips of previous KPL performances by Rachel Davis and Steppin’ In It on YouTube.

Although Davis and Steppin’ In It both enjoy national reputations for folk repertoires, Shout Sister Shout stretches them in the realm of old-time American Jazz with torch swing numbers mixed with bluesy ballads. Steppin’ In It is known for their revival of old-time music, and its performers provide an ideal backdrop for the shimmering vocal versatility of Rachel Davis. The Detroit Metro Times says: “The quintet is a tribute to the smoky, sophisticated sound of the 1930s and 40s jazz, with plenty of influence from Cole Porter, Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday, Nat King Cole Trio and Sarah Vaughn, and it’s a trip to hear Davis channel those old greats.”

About Rachel Davis

Born in Lansing, Michigan, Davis spend nearly six years in Chicago before her musician parents settled in Cadillac, Michigan, where encouraging family members, friends and other musicians nurtured her developing talent. Davis has spent most of her life involved with music in one way or another. In 2001 she moved to Boston where she won a Boston Music Award for Best New Singer-Songwriter. In 2003, Davis won the grand prize in the Telluride Bluegrass Festival’s Troubadour Contest. The Detroit Free Press says, “Davis commands a voice older than her years, an instrument that is equally sure expressing strength and vulnerability, and her songwriting is fearlessly eclectic.”

About Steppin’ In It

Celebrating Amercian roots music, Steppin' In It is an acoustic quartet with hearts based in tradition and minds forever moving in creative directions. The combination of multi-instrumentalists Andy and Joe Wilson, upright bassist Dominic Suchyta and singer/songwriter Joshua Davis is a rootsy roller coaster ride of original and traditional music. Playing everything from blues to bluegrass, calypso to cajun, woeful waltzes to western swing, Steppin' In It has become one of Michigan's most sought after live acts. — CD Baby

Business Startups – Down & Dirty

Jun 9/, 2009 11:36:10 AM

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Jim Coyle and Tom Earll of Nexus Business Solutions will help prospective business owners discover if they have what it takes to start and maintain their own business in an engaging program called Down & Dirty on June 10, 6:30 to 8:00 pm, at the Central Library, 315 S Rose St.

“The program is the look before you leap part of the process,” says Nexus Chief Advisor, Jim Coyle. “We will explore four basic factors—people, time, money and resources. The better one is at managing these, the greater the chance he has of being successful in his own business.” Participants will learn the only reason businesses fail and the number one mistake made in marketing a small business. Then they will learn how to avoid these common pitfalls from leaders who have deep real-business experience.

About the Presenters

Jim Coyle has a diverse background in corporate consulting and has worked with firms such as Allstate, Ocean Spray, Accenture and Bombardier. He has owned and operated several small businesses, including a restaurant/bar, a property management firm and several investment companies. He currently owns a number of real estate companies. Jim is also active in teaching small business management and works with Kalamazoo College, the Northside Economic Potential Group and Kalamazoo Valley Community College. Tom Earll is a Nexus Advisor with broad domestic and international experience in business and information technology.

Nexus Business Solutions helps companies re-engage their drive by re-clarifying their vision. The company provides the experience, know-how and perspective to get business owners past the next crossroads, or “nexus” in the maze of small business ownership to create sustainable change and long-term growth.

Readers Rise to Challenge

Apr 29, 2009 03:47:11 PM

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Five student teams will compete for the Global Reading Challenge championship in this annual reading program for upper elementary students on Thursday, April 30, 7 pm, at the Central Library, 315 S Rose St.

For sixteen years, Kalamazoo Public Library has sponsored the Global Reading Challenge for fourth and fifth grade students in public and private schools throughout the library district. This popular program promotes the joy of reading and the understanding of different cultures through a rich variety of fictional characters.

Teams Read Ten Books

Children’s librarians select ten books for students to read. The books offer a wide range of reading levels so students with different reading abilities can participate. This year’s books are listed online. One set of ten books is provided to each team by the library.

Librarians write questions based on factual and content information in all ten books. During a Global Reading Challenge battle, librarians ask one question of all participating teams in a high-spirited quiz bowl. Teams are allowed to confer on the answers. Points are awarded for each correct answer.

Quiz Bowl Challenges Lead to Championship Battle

From March 1 through March 31, classroom teams of up to seven students competed to represent their school in challenges at KPL’s five buildings. From April 15 through 23, those school teams will battle to represent their neighborhood branch library in the final district challenge on April 30.

All of the five Global Reading Challenge branch challenges have now taken place. Competing on April 30 will be:

Powell Branch Honors Baskerville

Apr 29, 2009 03:27:23 PM

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Kalamazoo Public Library’s Alma Powell Branch will celebrate three special anniversaries with a party on April 29, 6-8 pm.

The Alma Powell Library first opened in a room at the Lincoln School in 1969 – 40 years ago – through a gift of $10,000 from Mrs. Dorothy Dalton. It was named in memory of Alma Harrod Powell, a KPL staff member from 1946 until 1967. She was a noted storyteller and enjoyed sharing her rich African heritage and love for books with children. The branch moved into the new Douglass Community Center 25 years ago to be closer to neighborhood homes and children.

Then, 20 years ago, in 1989, Powell launched the Barnabee Gallery. Dr. Walden Baskerville, a local sculptor and a psychologist at Western Michigan University, led the effort to create the gallery as a showcase for children’s art. Doris Miller, the former art coordinator for Kalamazoo Public Schools, worked with Walden on the first show in the Barnabee. She reports that the show was well received and well attended. Ms. Miller writes, “Children learned about appreciation of other’s work, gallery manners, discussions about art, etc. all of which were among the many goals that Mr. Walden had for this concept. I am happy to hear his vision lives on!”

The purpose of the Barnabee Gallery as stated in the opening program was to represent and encourage the work of young artists in the Kalamazoo Public Schools. To give students the opportunity to visit with, observe and learn from artists and authors in the community as well as learn to exhibit and discuss their own work.

Goals included increased commitment and understanding of:

Literacy – Poetry, Writing, Story-telling

The Arts – Folk Art, Music, Dance and Visual Arts

Service – Contributions to the development and quality of their schools and community

The Dulcet Club, a social and community service club founded in 1958 by a group of prominent black women, helped with the opening reception in 1989 and will provide some of the refreshments at this reception. The party will feature food, music and a presentation to honor Dr. Baskerville for his vision and inspiration.

ONEplace @ kpl Opens Tuesday

Mar 2/, 2009 10:08:55 AM

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On Tuesday, March 3, 2009, Kalamazoo Public Library opens ONEplace@ kpl, a new nonprofit management support organization (MSO), with a reception from 4:00-5:30 pm in the Central Library’s Van Deusen Room. A formal presentation will take place at 4:30 pm. Tours of ONEplace will follow.

Kyle Caldwell, president of the Michigan Nonprofit Association, will speak about the value of organizations like ONEplace and welcome ONEplace into the Michigan network of MSOs;

Bobbe A. Luce, who directs ONEplace, will share the goals and opportunities planned for the center.

ONEplace @ kpl Services

The word ONE stands for Opportunities for Nonprofit Excellence, which is why the center exists. ONEplace will offer all who lead, manage, and support nonprofit organizations in Kalamazoo County assessments and technical assistance, targeted resource referrals, training workshops, webinars, and casual, peer-learning opportunities. The ONEplace calendar already features several free workshops. Registration will be required; learn more online. The center’s comprehensive new website will also launch on March 3.

ONE place @ kpl History

The concept for ONEplace grew out of discussions by a task force of area foundation representatives and nonprofit leaders. Recognizing the challenges facing nonprofit organizations in our county, the foundations sought a centralized support center like others they studied across the state. Known as management support organizations (MSOs), each center operates through a unique model that service serves its community best.

Kalamazoo Public Library was selected by the task force to house and operate the center because of its accessibility, strong infrastructure, and neutral, information-based mission.

Major funding for ONEplace is provided by the Irving S. Gilmore Foundation and the Kalamazoo Community Foundation with start-up support from the Greater Kalamazoo United Way, materials support from the Timothy and Bernadette Marquez Fund at the Denver Foundation, and in-kind support from the Kalamazoo Public Library.

Board of Trustees Election May 5

Feb 3/, 2009 01:38:09 PM

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Petitions and information for the May 5, 2009, library board of trustees election may be picked up at the administrative office on the third floor of the downtown library at 315 S. Rose Street or at the City of Kalamazoo clerk’s office at 241 W. South Street, room 104.

The Kalamazoo Public Library office is open Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The city clerk's office is open Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Petitions must be signed by 40-100 registered voters living within the library's district. Valid petitions must be turned in by February 10, 2009.

Three seats will be available on the library's board of trustees. Each vacancy is a four-year term expiring June 30, 2013. For more information, visit www.kpl.gov/board, call Martha Coash, assistant to the library director, at 269-553-7826, or call the City of Kalamazoo clerk's office at 269-337-8793.

Library Board Appoints Trustee

Jan 27, 2009 04:13:30 PM

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At a special meeting on January 12, 2009, the Kalamazoo Public Library board of trustees appointed Ian Kennedy to fill a trustee position that became vacant with the death of board member Loren Dykstra last fall. His term will end in June 2009.

An associate with the law firm Cooper, Martin & Chojnowski, P.C., of Kalamazoo, Mr. Kennedy also serves on the Friends of Recreation Board, a Kalamazoo City Commission appointed advisory board. Mr. Kennedy lives in the Milwood neighborhood with his wife, Sarah, a law school classmate, and their young sons Charlie and Jimmy.

A committee comprised of board members Lisa Godfrey, trustee, Jim VanderRoest, treasurer, and Valerie Wright, board president, reviewed applications solicited from the public, interviewed applicants, then presented a recommendation to the board. Those trustees present at the meeting voted unanimously to appoint Mr. Kennedy.

To learn more about the board of trustees, to read minutes of past meetings, or to see a schedule of upcoming meetings here.

Late in 1960, a U.S. Supreme Court ruling outlawed segregation in terminals used by interstate bus and rail services. On May 4, 1961, thirteen people traveled south on the first Freedom to test the compliance of Southern bus stations with the ruling. This, and subsequent rides, encountered increasingly violent resistance.

Though there were Freedom Rides across the South, Jackson, Mississippi, soon became the campaign’s primary focus. More than 300 Riders were arrested there and quickly convicted of breach of peace. Author and photographer Eric Etheridge came across the mug shots of all 328 Freedom Riders in 2004.

Etheridge was “immediately captivated by [their] faces … The police camera had caught something special … The resulting portraits were compelling and intense.” He decided to publish the mug shots and, where possible, include new photos and stories of the Riders in his new book, Breach of Peace: Portraits of the 1961 Mississippi Freedom Riders.

Miller Green, a high-school senior in 1961 and one of the Freedom Riders who inspired the book, will speak in Kalamazoo with Etheridge. About Green and other Riders, a Newsweek review revealed some of them “…remain in awe of the courage of their former selves.” In the article, Miller Green is quoted: “’It came down to a bunch of teenagers … who knew what the consequences could be… Yet we carried that [weight] on our shoulders.’”

The legacy of the rides “could not have been more poetic,” says Robert Singleton, who connects those events to the election of Barack Obama as president. Obama was born in August 1961, Singleton notes, just when the riders were languishing in Mississippi jails and prisons, trying to “break the back of segregation for all people, but especially for the children. We put ourselves in harm’s way for a child, at the very time he came into this world, who would become our first black president.”

The new page prominently highlights many more of the Local History Room’s resources for genealogists, including the library’s comprehensive Local Information Database. This database, continually updated by library staff members, now includes close to three million citations to local newspapers and magazines about people, places, and events in Kalamazoo.

The Kalamazoo Valley Genealogical Society welcomed Beth as their speaker at their November meeting. Beth showcased the new genealogy page as well as the Local History section of the new KPL website for KVGS members. Many at the program were impressed with all the resources available via the Local History webpages.

Have a specific genealogy or Local History question? Contact Beth. KPL’s Local History staff members answer 600+ inquiries each month, from births, deaths, and census data to information about local events, buildings, and businesses, using databases, city directories, KPL’s own historical records, and more.

Save a tree! Use email with KPL

Nov 25, 2008 11:17:17 AM

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In the autumn Library Link newsletter, the library director’s notes on the back page described Kalamazoo Public Library’s efforts to reduce the library’s impact on the environment. KPL wants to invite patrons to help with this effort by using their email to communicate with the library.

Every day, the library sends 1,000 overdue and hold notices to KPL patrons. Patrons can help the library reduce that amount of paper messages by adding their email address to their library record. Here's how:

Patrons using email will receive a new courtesy alert—sent to patrons with email addresses ONLY—that warns them three days before the items they’ve borrowed are due. Plus, patrons using their email learn right away when the items they’ve put on hold are ready to be picked up—no more hold ups in snail mail!

Patrons who use email may also opt to receive the new e-newsletter—sent for the first time in November—as well as a wide variety of regularly published lists of new materials.

Patrons may be assured that KPL will never share their personal info with anyone. The library board of trustees has established several policies that guard patrons’ privacy:

Library Board Opening Announced

Nov 3/, 2008 10:36:42 AM

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At its October 27 monthly meeting, the Kalamazoo Public Library board of trustees approved a process for filling a trustee position that became vacant with the death of long-time board member, Loren Dykstra. Mr. Dykstra passed away on October 16, 2008. His current term would have ended in June 2009.

Persons interested in serving on the board of trustees are invited to send a letter of interest and a description of their qualifications to the board no later than 5:00 p.m. on Friday, November 21, 2008. Trustees must be registered voters within the Kalamazoo Public Library district, which encompasses the City of Kalamazoo, Kalamazoo Township, Oshtemo Township, and the Kalamazoo Public Schools district.

A committee comprised of board members Lisa Godfrey, trustee, Jim VanderRoest, treasurer, and Valerie Wright, board president, will review applicants’ letters and credentials, then present a recommendation at the December 15, 2008, board meeting. The vacated seat will be appointed by a majority vote from the board.

To learn more about the board of trustees, to read minutes of past meetings, or to see a schedule of upcoming meetings, please visit the board of trustees pages on the library website. Please call Martha Coash, assistant to the library director, with any questions at 269-553-7826.

“Choose” Caldecott Winner

Oct 22, 2008 10:23:45 AM

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Ed Spicer, current member of the Caldecott committee, will present a series of programs featuring books currently eligible for the Caldecott Medal on October 16, November 20, and December 11 at Kalamazoo Public Library, 315 S. Rose St. Each program will start at 7:00 p.m. Artists, educators and others who love picture book art are encouraged to attend. Help “select” the most distinguished picture book for children published in 2008!

Each year, the Association for Library Services to Children, a division of the American Library Association, presents the Caldecott Medal to the illustrator of the most distinguished American picture book published that year. Named after Randolph Caldecott, a former banker turned picture book artist, the Caldecott is, with the Newbery Medal, the most prestigious American children’s book award.

At the October and November events, Spicer will describe the Caldecott Medal and demonstrate how a previous award winner exemplifies one Caldecott criteria. Spicer will introduce 15 to 20 brand new picture books, and briefly explain why he selected each title. Participants will have time to look at the books and to vote for three favorite books. Caldecott Committee members are encouraged to seek out a diverse group of views about eligible books. Participants may also share their favorite picture books published in 2008.

On December 11, Spicer will stage a mock Caldecott Committee award selection meeting. Participants will discuss the list of contenders according to criteria found in the Randolph Caldecott Medal Committee Manual (2007). Book titles will come from the votes generated during the October and November programs. By the end of this program, we will have selected our Caldecott Medal winner and up to four honor books, if warranted. See a list of contenders for the award.

About Ed Spicer

Ed Spicer is a reading specialist who teaches first grade students in Allegan. Spicer has served on the Michael L. Printz Award committee (2005) and on the Best Books for Young Adults committee (2006-2008). Spicer writes a regular column for the Michigan Reading Journal, a publication of the Michigan Reading Association, on noteworthy books for school libraries. Spicer also runs a teen reading group in Allegan and coordinates the Allegan High School Literary Contest along with co-chair, Michael Kiella.

See Weird Michigan at KPL

Oct 3/, 2008 12:07:09 PM

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Linda Godfrey, author of Weird Michigan, will visit Kalamazoo Public Library on Sunday, November 2, at 2:00 pm, to show her slide tour of Michigan strangeness. Her books will be available for sale and signing at the event.

Linda has canvassed the state of Michigan looking for the strange and offbeat, everything from outsider artists and giant roadside statues to local cemetery lore, eccentric people and history, to ghost stories, unidentified creatures and UFO’s. She put over 5,000 miles on her “weirdmobile” and found enough strangeness to fill both Weird Michigan, written for Barnes & Noble in 2006, and the just-released sequel, Strange Michigan: More Wolverine Weirdness, co-authored with Michiganian Lisa Shiel.

As an author and researcher of the strange and uncanny, Ms. Godfrey is especially well-known as an authority on the upright canine known in Wisconsin as the Beast of Bray Road, in Michigan as the Dog Man, and in other places as Skinwalker, Werewolf or a dozen other names. She appeared in, co-wrote and co-produced the History Channel’s Monsterquest episode, “American Werewolf,” based on her book Hunting the American Werewolf.

A former award-winning newspaper reporter and art teacher, Ms. Godfrey provides many illustrations for her own books. She co-hosts a weekly radio show on Uncanny Radio and has appeared on such national TV and radio shows as Inside Edition, Discover Kids, Travel Channel, Sci-Fi Channel’s New In Search Of, Coast to Coast AM radio, and many more. The Independent Publishers awarded Ms Godfrey’s Strange Wisconsin: More Badger State Weirdness a 2008 bronze medal in the category Great Lakes – Best Regional Non-Fiction at the 12th Annual IPPY Awards ceremony in Los Angeles, May 2008.

Summer Reading Party at Air Zoo

Sep 29, 2008 11:42:05 AM

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Kalamazoo Public Library's end-of-Summer Reading Game party has now been rescheduled for Friday, October 24, from 5:30-7:30 pm, at the Air Zoo, 6151 Portage Rd. All Air Zoo attractions will be available and library staff will offer games for the little kids and bingo for adults.

All summer reading game players will be sent a postcard invitation to attend. Players should bring the postcard or their previously issued summer reading party wristband for free admittance to the Air Zoo that evening.

Saturday Eves Celebrate 40 Years

Sep 26, 2008 03:39:53 PM

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The Saturday Eves Book Club will honor its 40th anniversary with a party to celebrate reading on Saturday, October 18, from 3:00-5:00 pm, at the Alma Powell Branch of Kalamazoo Public Library, at the Douglass Community Association, 1000 W Paterson St.

The event will feature Patricia Jabbeh Wesley and Nisi Shawl (née Denise Rickman). Wesley will read her poems and share her recent experiences teaching in Liberia. Shawl will read from Filter House, her collection of short stories released this past August. Both women will talk about their work in progress. Wesley and Shawl, and local authors including James J. Smith and Christina McGrinson, will display, sell and sign their works.

In keeping with their tradition, the group will also present books to children at the event. Some years ago, members decided to buy books for children rather than giving each other presents at the holidays. They now donate about 40 books twice a year to children from a selected school or academic enhancement program, CAPS (Community Advocates for Parents and Students). Children in this tutorial program at Interfaith Homes will receive this year's gift books.

Musical performances and refreshments will complement this literary celebration, which is open to the public. For further information about the Saturday Eves or the celebration, please contact their president, Regena Nelson, 387-3509.

About the Saturday Eves

Ten women started the group, the first African American book group in Kalamazoo, to take time out of their busy professional lives to read and discuss current books—most, but not all, by black authors and focused on the African American experience or women’s issues and concerns. Most months, two members each select, read, review, and share a book with the group. Twice a year, in the spring and fall, the whole group reads the same book.

Six of those original ten members are still active with the group: Susan Fraizer Davis, Betty Gardner, Marie Jackson, Shelia Myles, Phyllis Seabolt, and Dorothy Young. More than 70 women have enjoyed the group’s lively, animated discussions over the years. They’ve grown together, raised families, and supported each other through all stages of life—birth, death, marriage, divorce, career changes, retirement—relishing the bonds of sisterhood in their 40 years.

While Saturday Eves began with the love of books as their core, they’ve expanded their influence in the community, promoting, sponsoring and raising funds for a variety of civic programs. Each year, they choose a project to support—the Black Arts Festival, the Northside Association for Educational Advancement, Push for Learning, and Northside Little League teams have all benefitted from the Saturday Eve’s involvement.

Reading Together book discussions and a wide variety of special events will take place in March and April of 2009. Author Bragg will visit Kalamazoo on April 14, 2009, during National Library Week to conclude this year’s program.

About Reading Together

Reading Together invites people of all ages from all walks of life to read and then discuss important issues raised by a single book. Thousands of county residents have participated in six previous Reading Together programs.

Kalamazoo Public Library leads Reading Together with the collaboration of libraries, educational institutions, health and social service agencies, cultural, civic and religious organizations, businesses, the media, and local governments throughout Kalamazoo County.

The Kalamazoo Community Foundation helped the library launch Reading Together with funding for the first three years with grants from their Better Together initiative. Kalamazoo Public Library now provides major support for the program. Foundation grants, gifts and contributions from collaborating organizations make it possible for KPL to offer Reading Together to all of Kalamazoo County. KPL program specialist Lisa Williams coordinates the program.

About the Book Selection Process

The book selection process continued Reading Together’s tradition of democratic community participation. A large group of community members considered dozens of titles gathered from last year’s evaluation process, suggested by library patrons, staff, and community leaders, and recommended by librarians and educators.

Committee members read and discussed the suggested titles with these guidelines in mind. A good Reading Together book features:

an author who will come to Kalamazoo during the Reading Together period;

beautiful prose that fosters an appreciation of literature;

availability in multiple formats such as large print, audio recording, Spanish;

reading level, vocabulary, length, and subject matter that appeals to adults as well as high school and college students;

treatment of social issues relevant to our community.

Why Three Books?

Rick Bragg’s memoirs of home and childhood are related but not linear. They sufficiently connect so that readers could start with the newest book, The Prince of Frogtown, then move on to one of the others. Rick Bragg already has many fans in our community. Even now, more than 10 years after its publication, Shoutin’ still garners a waiting list at KPL. Here’s what readers can look forward to:

With colorful language and emotional honesty, Rick Bragg recounts a turbulent and poverty-stricken childhood in rural Alabama that gave rise to a career in journalism and a Pulitzer Prize for reporting. His book is a sensitive but never self-pitying look at the fruits of his alcoholic father’s abuse and abandonment of the family, and at his mother, who bore the brunt of the pain.

Bragg celebrates his mama’s daddy, Charlie Bundrum, a heroic figure whose life was symbolic of a people and way of life nearly gone today from the Southern landscape. An ode to his grandfather, but also a study of the history and culture of the rural South, richly seasoned with all-but-forgotten lore and language.

This completes the cycle of Rick Bragg’s stories about his childhood. Bragg was convinced the last thing he wanted was to become a father. Now married and suddenly stepfather to a young boy, Bragg looks back to move forward. Through conversations with people who knew Bragg’s father, he builds a picture of who Charles Bragg really was, searching for shreds of goodness in him. Stories about his father alternate with chapters about the developing relationship with his stepson.

About Rick Bragg

Rick Bragg says he learned to tell stories by listening to the masters, the people of the foothills of the Appalachians. They talked, of the sadness, poverty, cruelty, kindness, hope, hopelessness, faith, anger and joy of their everyday lives, and painted pictures on the very haze of the early evening, when work faded into story-telling. Those stories are the backbone of all three of his memoirs.

Bragg was born in Alabama, grew up there, and worked at several newspapers before joining The New York Times in 1994. He covered the murder and unrest in Haiti while a metro reporter there, then wrote about the Oklahoma City bombing, the Jonesboro killings, the Susan Smith trial and more as a national correspondent based in Atlanta. He later became Miami Bureau Chief for the Times just in time for Elian Gonzalez's arrival and the international battle for the little boy.

Michael Beauchamp to Perform at Library

Aug 20, 2008 09:41:07 AM

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Kalamazoo Public Library continues its series of free concerts at the Central Library this fall with a special performance by Michael Beauchamp on Wednesday, September 17, at 7 pm. Previous performances in the series included Steppin’ In It on June 17, Pacifica Quartet on July 8, and an August 12 appearance by Rachael Davis.

With his powerful voice and mournful guitar, Michael Beauchamp spins melodic yarns about lost love, travel, and the importance of live music. His debut solo album, My Northern Voices, echoes old time, bluegrass, and ‘60s folk sounds. Eana Agopian, who created Voices’ cover, will display her collage-based work, combining her photos, drawing, painting, and found objects.

Fred Upton to Read for Ready to Read

Aug 13, 2008 12:18:25 PM

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Congressman Fred Upton (R-St. Joseph) will visit the Family Health Center (North), 117 W Paterson St, on Friday, August 22, 10:00-11:00 a.m. to see the Ready to Read early childhood literacy program in action and read to children.

Ready to Read encourages parents to read aloud to their children, beginning at birth. By sharing the joy of reading, parents help prepare their children to learn to read. Ready to Read gives books to newborns, prescribes reading with gift books at medical offices and human services agencies, and sends volunteers into the community to read aloud in clinic waiting rooms, shelters, and Head Start classrooms. Kalamazoo Public Library leads this community collaboration of more than 30 organizations.

Ready to Read reaches parents, children and the community with several programs. Through Books for Babies, Bronson and Borgess hospitals give each newborn a storybook, encourage their parents to read aloud to their babies with a list of baby-friendly books. Rx Reading pediatricians, nurses, social workers, educators, and other professionals prescribe reading and give young children books at 36 medical offices and human services agencies, including the WIC program and Loaves & Fishes’ food pantries. Volunteer Readers model book sharing and read aloud to children in clinic waiting rooms, family shelters, Head Start and PEEP classrooms. Volunteers read for two hours a week; training and books are provided.

Ready to Read participated in more than 20 community events in addition to hosting the annual Party in the Park to celebrate the joy of reading. Fifty community leaders and costumed storybook characters read to 1,430 preschoolers at this special storytime in Bronson Park on May 28, 2008.

Rachael Davis to Perform at Library

Jul 14, 2008 12:41:52 PM

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Kalamazoo Public Library will offer a series of free concerts at the Central Library this summer featuring artists from three very different musical genres. Steppin’ In It performed on June 17 and Pacifica Quartet on July 8. Next up is Rachel Davis on Tuesday, August 12, at 7:00 pm.

Rachael Davis began singing on-stage at the age of two with her parents. Six years into her solo career, she’s shared the stage with such musical luminaries as Taj Mahal, Fred Eaglesmith, Josh Ritter, Prairie Home Companion regulars Robin and Linda Williams, folk divas Claudia Schmidt and Sally Rogers, jazz legends Marcus Belgrave and Winston Walls, and many others. In 2003, she took grand prize in the Telluride Bluegrass Festival’s Troubadour Contest. Her influences range from the jazz stylings of Ella Fitzgerald to the soulful pop vocals of Patty Griffin. A contemporary songwriter, she’s equally at home singing anything from traditional ballads to Cole Porter to Joe Henry.

Bookmobile Service Resumes Today

Jun 23, 2008 02:34:28 PM

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Bookmobile service was cancelled on Monday and Tuesday of this week to honor long-time bookmobile driver Dale Ford, who passed away last weekend. Oshtemo Branch Library will close at 4:00 pm Thursday to allow library staff the opportunity to attend visitation with Dale's family at Langeland's, 622 S. Burdick Street.

Dale Ford passed away suddenly Monday, June 23, 2008 at his home. He was born September 9, 1966 in Kalamazoo, the son of Dale and Patricia (Baker) Ford. Dale was employed by Kalamazoo Public Library as the Book Mobile driver for their Oshtemo Branch for many years. He loved music, and professional wrestling and attending concerts and wrestling events; but most of all he enjoyed spending time with his family and friends. Surviving are his parents, Dale and Patricia Ford; his sister and brother, Michelle Dolph and Darren Ford both of Kalamazoo; 2 nephews; and several aunts, uncles, and cousins. Friends may visit with Dale’s family from 5-8 PM on Thursday (tomorrow) at Langeland Family Funeral Homes, Memorial Chapel, 622 S. Burdick Street. There will be no services. As an expression of sympathy, memorial contributions may be directed to Kalamazoo Public Library or a charity of one’s choice.

Making Music This Summer

Jun 13, 2008 12:59:13 PM

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Kalamazoo Public Library will offer a series of free concerts this summer featuring artists from three very different musical genres: Steppin’ In It, Pacifica Quartet, and Rachel Davis. All three groups will perform at the Central Library.

Steppin’ In It

Tuesday, June 17, 7:00 pmToting an ample supply of vintage instruments, the swingin’ quartet Steppin’ In It creates a sound that evokes old-time bluegrass radio. The boys pound out their own brand by combining folk, sweet jazz, country, swing, zydeco, and blues. At this very special acoustic show in-the-round, listeners will hear the stories behind their music. The 2004 Telluride Bluegrass Festival program proclaimed that “they accomplish the seemingly impossible task of making the most traditional sounds contemporary, blending hillbilly rackets with blues rhythms and European folk....we think they’re knee deep in the future of bluegrass.”

Pacifica Quartet

Tuesday, July 8, 7:00 pmExperience the virtuosity, exuberant style and often daring repertory choices of the Pacifica Quartet, winner of the Naumberg Chamber Music Prize, Cleveland Quartet Award, and the prestigious Avery Fisher Career Grant, amoung others. The group tours extensively throughout the United States, Europe, Asia, and Australia, performing in the world’s major concert halls. Their recordings include the complete string quartets of Felix Mendelssohn, chamber works by Dvorak, the complete quartets of Easley Blackwood, and music composed during the turbulent decades between World Wars I and II. Pacifica will weave informative lectures with its performance at the library. Appearance courtesy Fontana Chamber Arts.

Rachael Davis

Tuesday, August 12, 7:00 pmRachael Davis began singing on-stage at the age of two with her parents. Six years into her solo career, she’s shared the stage with such musical luminaries as Taj Mahal, Fred Eaglesmith, Josh Ritter, Prairie Home Companion regulars Robin and Linda Williams, folk divas Claudia Schmidt and Sally Rogers, jazz legends Marcus Belgrave and Winston Walls, and many others. In 2003, she took grand prize in the Telluride Bluegrass Festival’s Troubadour Contest. Her influences range from the jazz stylings of Ella Fitzgerald to the soulful pop vocals of Patty Griffin. A contemporary songwriter, she’s equally at home singing anything from traditional ballads to Cole Porter to Joe Henry.